Arguing that software evaluation is crucial to the quality of courseware available in a school, this paper begins by discussing reasons why microcomputers are making such a tremendous impact on education, and notes that, although the quality of software has improved over the years, the challenge for teachers to integrate computing into the…

This selected annotated list of 39 sources of information on educational software for higher education is a revision of a list prepared at EDUCOM '85 and includes a number of additional sources. The sources, which provide access to both commercial and unpublished faculty software, are listed under five headings: General Sources; Software for…

This courseware evaluation rates the Wood Programs software developed by the Iowa Department of Public Instruction. (These programs--not contained in this document--include understanding board feet, wood characteristics, wood safety drill, wood dimensions, wood moisture, operating the table saw, radial arm, measurement drill, fraction drill, and…

This courseware evaluation rates the Ohm's Law and Solar Energy program developed by the Iowa Department of Public Instruction. (The program--not contained in this document--covers Ohm's law and resistance problems, passive solar energy, and project ideas and sources.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (construction and…

This courseware evaluation rates the Who Am I? program developed by Instructional Enterprises. (This program--not contained in this document--is an interactive guidance course including four inventories students use to learn more about themselves.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (personal development) and hardware…

Refutes Seymour Papert's premises because they: (1) maintain that computer criticism goes through developmental stages; (2) overlook the fact that the computer's newness in education affects the way people speak of computers; and (3) deny the necessity that teaching LOGO, like other pedagogies, should be accountable to experimental research. (PS)

Agrees with Seymour Papert that conventional experimentation has shortcomings when used to study effects of educational programs. Cites three research methods that, in combination, can compensate for the shortcomings of both conventional research and the computer criticism suggested by Papert. (PS)

Discussion of the history and development of artificial intelligence (AI) highlights a bibliography of introductory books on various aspects of AI, including AI programing; problem solving; automated reasoning; game playing; natural language; expert systems; machine learning; robotics and vision; critics of AI; and representative software. (LRW)

Discusses the rich potential of Logo (a computer programing system for children) and particularly LogoWriter (its word processor) as learning tools in the language arts. Cautions against their use as rote exercises. (SR)

Based on interviews with instructors Breece and Polak who state that the benefits of implementing FAIRMODEL in the classroom (usually intermediate macroeconomics and the first course in graduate macroeconomics) greatly outweigh the costs. Concludes that students benefit from the use of FAIRMODEL by gaining marketable skills currently in demand by…

Contains articles which review communications software. Includes "Crosstalk Mark 4,""ProComm,""Freeway Advanced,""Windows InTalk,""Relay Silver," and "Smartcom III." Compares in terms of text proprietary, MCI upload, Test ASCII, Spreadsheet Proprietary, Text XMODEM, Spreadsheet XMODEM, MCI Download, Documentation, Support and Service, ease of use,…

Lists general purpose communication programs for personal computers along with manufacturers' names and addresses, key data on each product, and comments. Includes memory requirements, price, BAUD rates, terminals, and protocols. Sixty-four manufacturers are listed. (CW)

Test Pac, a test scoring and analysis computer program for moderate-sized sample designs using dichotomous response items, performs comprehensive item analyses and multiple reliability estimates. It also performs single-facet generalizability analysis of variance, single-parameter item response theory analyses, test score reporting, and computer…

Helps the teacher of composition who is seeking the most current sources of information about computer programs for writing classes. Provides starred items for novice computer users and suggests "English Microlab Registry" for a listing of colleges and universities that have computer laboratories for writing.(NH)

Described is a microcomputer software program NUCLEAR REACTIONS designed for college level students and in use at Sweet Briar College (Sweet Briar, VA). The program is written in Microsoft Basic Version 2.1 for the Apple Macintosh Microcomputer. It introduces two conservation principles: (1) conservation of charge; and (2) conservation of nucleon…