Carroll County Public Schools (Maryland) implemented a computerized telephone employee health insurance enrollment program. The system provides its users with personalized enrollment information prior to the call and sends immediate confirmation letters. Telephone enrollment offers an ideal pairing of available electronic technology to the…

Describes a modification of the software "Punctuation and Style," and a study of the modified software program. Reports that teachers rated computer evaluations of student compositions as helpful more often than did students. Notes that teachers and students agreed generally on the helpfulness of the program's most frequent comments. Argues that…

Stephen Downes visits Robin Good's Master NewMedia, a Web site dedicated to Web 2.0 in both thought and deed. The site both utilizes the design principles and technologies central to the concept of Web 2.0--relentless referencing, cross-referencing, and linking to a wide variety of articles from across the Web; a fluid and often chaotic…

One size does not fit all. For anyone who has ever tried to make something fit (especially when it won't), it's best to realize that the word "all" does not really mean "everyone." The same thing is true for subscription databases. While it might seem that all students in grades K-12 can benefit from the use of the database contents, in reality,…

A study of microcomputer courseware reviews was carried out in order to discover which criteria they discuss, whether reviewers agree in their assessments, how evaluative the reviews are, and whether the reviewing policy of the journal influences the review. The content analysis instrument was a composite of criteria developed by organizations…

This critical review of 13 political science software simulations and tutorials rates the programs both by quality of presentation and by educational content. Courseware does have a truly interactive nature yet allows the student to be in an active mode of control. The software programs reviewed feature a variety of graphic, textual, and…

To help teachers cope with the proliferation of software and software sources, a number of resources are available to aid in the evaluation and selection of educational software. For instance, both the "Educator's Handbook and Software Directory" and "Swift's Directory of Educational Software, Apple II Edition" provide listings…

This courseware evaluation rates the "Inflammation" program developed by Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. (This program--not contained in this document--introduces students to the possible causes, signs, and protective benefits of inflammation.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (allied health, nursing), and…

This courseware evaluation rates the "Introduction to Nursing Diagnosis" program developed by J.B. Lippincott Co. (The program--not included in this document--is a tutorial for second-year nursing students; it presents diagnosis as a mathematical formula). Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (allied health, nursing) and hardware…

Intended to provide guidance in the selection of the best computer software available to support instruction and to make optimal use of schools' financial resources, this publication provides a listing of computer software programs that have been evaluated according to their currency, relevance, and value to Hawaii's educational programs. The…

This comprehensive collection of information about software programs is intended to help secondary language arts teachers choose software to supplement their instruction of mildly handicapped students. The first section is a correlations matrix, which lists all software programs abstracted, indicates computer compatibility, and correlates each…

This courseware evaluation rates the Concepts in Static Electricity program developed by Micro Learningware. (The program--not contained in this document--is a four-disk set covering the electroscope, charging by induction, grounding, and charging by conduction.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area and hardware requirements…

The role of computing in enhancing scholarly writing and in building student writing skills is examined, with particular reference to the social scientist's needs at the college level. Word processing, outlining, and hypertext software types are appraised in terms of their impact on writing processes, and, while strengths of each are noted, each…

This courseware evaluation rates the Interior Design Simulator program developed by Orange Juice Software Systems. (This program--not contained in this document--allows the user to design a room of any shape with maximum dimensions of 14 x 26 feet.) Part A describes the program in terms of subject area (furniture arrangement) and hardware…

Provides a guide to online search strategies for information about software packages and software reviews, including descriptions of appropriate databases and search access points for databases. (CLB)