Two questions--how school boards might create more productive schools using the tools of the electronic age, and how they might create new learning opportunities and overcome some of the problems schools now face--were addressed at the national conference summarized in this document. The report reviews the current status of public education today…

As a result of preliminary observations of word processing in elementary level language the seven case studies presented in this report reveal the effectiveness of current word processing (WP) activities within their respective instructional contexts. Each study is presented separately, detailing the classroom context, tasks and outcomes, program…

Based on needs expressed by representatives from many Wisconsin school districts, this publication presents guidelines for introducing, enhancing, and evaluating the use of computer technology in schools. The first chapter provides a brief overview of the impact of computers on education and a list of principles for promoting their use in schools.…

Until the last two or three years, three forces inhibited the acceptance of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). These were the fear on the part of traditional trainers of displacement by machines, the poor quality of existing courseware and limited capability of accompanying hardware, and the poor price and performance characteristics of existing…

The computer phenomenon has made rapid inroads into school curricula, often without proper board guidance or approval. Accordingly, this pamphlet discusses why and how computer education should be provided in schools and sets forth guidelines for school board policy regarding computers. An umbrella policy is proposed, defining "computer literacy"…

This bibliography describes 47 materials available for computer-assisted instruction in business education. The materials are suitable for use by regular, disadvantaged, and handicapped students, and by students whose facility in English is limited. Materials are useful for developing tests, testing, reviewing, and vocabulary. Materials for…

This paper describes teacher usage of the microcomputer programs Test Analysis Package (TAP) and Student Problem Package (SPP) to analyze students' test item responses. These methods of organizing, analyzing, and reporting test results have proven useful to classroom teachers. The TAP consists of four integrated microcomputer programs to edit,…

A study was initiated to investigate the current status of technology initiatives in terms of their impact on six adult education centers in Massachusetts. It was designed to provide new insights into the educational effects of computer instruction upon adult basic education students. A second effort focused on the presentation of a model of…

Two classroom studies, one conducted in the spring of 1985 and the second in the spring of 1986, showed that many high school students do not differentiate between heat and temperature; instead, they have a single concept that contains some of the features of heat and some of the features of temperature. Because the distinction between these two…

The concept of the density of a material has an important role in elementary and secondary school science curricula, but it is a difficult concept to grasp. This project explores why this should be and whether there are some simpler, more accessible notions which can serve as the basis for building a concept of density in students' minds during…

This report contains recommendations and guidelines for the development of a national computer education program for all Australian schools. The introduction provides background information on the appointment of the National Advisory Committee on Computers in Schools, including the guidelines and objectives set for it by the government. Chapter 2,…

The following 25 papers (with their authors) are presented from a conference on computer technology in special education and rehabilitation: "Computers for Business--Computers for Life" (I. Keith Austin); "Rehabilitation and the Computer: How to Find What You Need" (Thomas Backer); "Computer Access Alternatives for Visually Impaired People in…

This report examines mathematical graphing utilities or function plotters for use in introductory algebra classes of more advanced courses. Each product selected for inclusion in this report is able to construct the graph of a given equation on the screen and serves as a utility which may be used by the student for an open-ended exploration of a…

Prepared from taped transcripts, this report summarizes presentations and panel sessions from a conference at Syracuse (New York) University that investigated the power that computers deliver to teachers and students of writing and editing, and the challenge of making the transition from typewriters to computers in the classroom. Titles of the…

The Microcomputer Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) was designed to broaden the use of microcomputers in student testing, for elementary and secondary school use, and for a variety of test item formats. MDTP was designed to administer tests, to allow teachers to create or revise tests, to print out test forms when desired, to score tests, to…