Examines evolution of awareness regarding the importance of organizational characteristics on the success of computer assisted instruction (CAI) projects. A list of 12 organizational factors are described that institutions of higher education need to consider in planning CAI projects. (Author/MBR)

Eight articles on educational technology's application to youth education and training describe United Kingdom's Junior Army leadership skills training; educational technology within Youth Training Scheme (YTS); YTS hotel and catering industry initiatives; Coventry's computer based learning project; cross-cultural courseware transfer; mathematics…

Describes an integrated series of computer-assisted reading (CAR) materials under development at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. The discussion indicates some of the problems in teaching reading with computers, describes the framework of the CAR project, and gives specific examples of activities. (SED)

Discusses an interactive video project designed to facilitate the teaching of culture and language in an integrated manner and describes the project's hardware, authoring system, the types of visual reference materials used, the organization of the phases which make up each of its units, and what it teaches. (Author/SED)

The Video Nova Authoring System (VNAS) was developed by computer programmers and instructional designers to provide noncomputer programmers with a tool to design interactive videodisc programs. VNAS allows the instructor complete design freedom, and although menu-driven, doesn't rely on preset lesson plans. Illustrations and sources for evaluation…

A project at the University of Witwatersrand examined the implications of introducing a centrally controlled system of computer-based learning in which 13 university departments utilized PLATO to supplement teaching programs and encourage computer literacy. Department project descriptions and project evaluations (which reported positive student…

Using current technology and learning theory, computer-controlled literature programs have been and will be developed that allow children to interact with literature. This technique will help students' reading concepts fall into place more rapidly and gain the interest of those who do not respond well to traditional print media. (SRT)

The results of a college president's informal survey of European academics' attitudes about liberal arts vs. vocational education, declining enrollments, evaluation of quality education, articulation between secondary and higher education, and computers in education are discussed. (MSE)

Future impacts of microcomputing on political science are discussed. Scenarios dealing with networking, data access, field research, course management, and simulations and artificial intelligence are described. (RM)

Three educators review two reports about education in the future. The reviewers address the question of which predictions seem most probable and least probable in the reports. (MD)

Describes a study which assessed impact of computer assisted instruction on reading and mathematics achievement of disadvantaged youths participating in US Department of Labor's Job Corps, a federal vocational and educational program. Greater reading achievement gains but no statistically significant mathematics gains were found in experimental…

Three adaptive models encompassing variations of instructional support, incentives, and context of presentations were developed and validated through eight separate studies which compared the teaching of statistics under computer-managed instruction or teacher-managed systems. Results indicate instructional support adaptations were effective, but…

Reflects on major advantage of computers as learning devices--interaction--and discusses stages involved in production of materials for computer-based learning. Use of authoring languages is discouraged. A vision of the future includes hardware; producers, distributors, and users of computer-based learning materials; and educational changes…

How the computer can be used to support and improve the following teaching and study methods in geography is discussed: lectures, reading, tutoring, small group teaching, simulation, educational games, model building, problem solving, field work, written work, and exploratory data analysis. Educational problems involved in each application are…

The reviews of instructional materials in this focused journal are arranged into the following sections: extended reviews, writing and reading, source books and course books, fiction, poetry, drama, computers and media, and reference books. (HOD)