This issue presents a collection of short articles which appeared in the Russian education press. Included are articles that: (1) announce policy decisions, (2) support the crash campaign to institute computer education,(3) provide a course curriculum, and (4) discuss theoretical issues and needed research. (JDH)

Discusses the nature of current college history students and explains why microcomputer simulations aid their learning of history. Concludes that students vary in their view of simulations, and that even good simulations are no substitute for an informed, thoughtful, and sensitive teacher. (JDH)

This article summarizes seven currently available microcomputer simulations for history. The seven included are: Government Simulations (Prentice-Hall, 1984), Nomination (Brady Company, 1984), Tigers in the Snow (Strategic Simulations, 1981), Lincoln's Decisions (Educational Activities, 1982), Watergate Simulation (Social Science Research and…

Reviews TIGERS IN THE SNOW: THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE (Strategic Simulations),and the BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG (Softwride). Each narrative review describes the hardware required and provides complete ordering information. (JDH)

Presents a discussion of how computer simulations are used in two undergraduate social science courses and a faculty computer literacy course on simulations and artificial intelligence. Includes a list of 60 simulations for use on mainframes and microcomputers. Entries include type of hardware required, publisher's address, and cost. Sample…

Reports on the progress of the Duke Language Toolkit, a collection of programs formulated to provide foreign alphabet capabilities on the IBM PC. The Toolkit itself, the interface of the Toolkit to other commonly used software, and the direction of the Toolkit project over the next nine months are discussed. (SED)

"Teacher Net" is described as a low cost computer network to provide computer assisted and managed instruction. The system consists of one microcomputer, an interface box, and as many as 16 keypads or keyboards for data input. The system can be used for independent student practice, assessment, group instruction, and data management.…

This study suggests a new model for the evaluation of educational software authoring systems and applies this model to a particular authoring system, CSR Trainer 4000. The model used is based on an integrated set of software engineering and instructional design principles. (Author/LRW)

Describes the experiences and concerns of a novice computer-using teacher as she integrated computers into her introductory sociology course. Issues discussed include the amount of time required to implement a meaningful unit of instruction, problems of matching appropriate use with existing software, and anxiety of students and instructor.…

Examination of methods used by two software review services in evaluating microcomputer courseware--EPIE (Educational Products Information Exchange) and MicroSIFT (Microcomputer Software and Information for Teachers)--found low correlations between their recommendations for 82 programs. This lack of agreement casts doubts on the usefulness of…

Provides two computer programs, written in BASIC, to calculate average stock market price levels. The programs allow students to work directly from the raw price data that appear daily in the financial news. Teaching suggestions are provided. (JDH)

Provides a review of research on the use of computers in education. Concludes that the computer's ability to provide active learning with sustained attention and consistent feedback make it a useful teaching tool for a wide variety of subjects. Urges more research into the physical, social, and instructional contexts in which computerized…

A group of 399 students in a home economics course integrating basic competencies and employing computer-assisted instruction had significantly greater gains in basic competencies than a control group of 611 students in a similar course. Findings support the integration of basic skills instruction and microcomputers in applied vocational courses.…

Explains how a computer and a large-screen television can help journalism instructors teach editing and writing skills. (FL)

Urges schools to adopt laser videodiscs for their cost, durability, and usability advantages over film, a mechanical, outdated medium. Recommends specific videodisc titles for school libraries and classroom use. Describes computer-assisted videodisc instruction applications (including image processing) and dispels some common misconceptions about…