Some facts about the nature of computer studies are presented, and it is noted that males make up the majority of students. The nature of current assessment practices is detailed, and suggestions are made about future testing approaches. Mastery testing is promoted as the direction to take in the future. (MP)

Short descriptions are provided of several sessions of the Computer Education Group (CEG) Biennial Conference held at Nottingham University in April 1982. Sessions noted include the introduction, a presentation on teacher training, the development of examinations, and a question-and-answer session. (MP)

Most computer terms are viewed as understandable if approached with common sense. Five sources for the terms are noted. The glossary is not viewed as comprehensive, and suggestions of more complete dictionaries are made. "Computerese" and "cybercrud" are two terms noted to describe the jargon associated with computer technology use. (MP)

Two kinds of secret writing, codes and ciphers, are discussed. The weakness of a ciphering system mentioned in the March 1981 issue is pointed out, and an alternate method is presented. Programs written in BASIC are presented which can be used to encipher messages and help break ciphers. (MP)

A process-oriented approach that can be highly successful in introducing students to computer systems concepts and terminology in an integrated manner is presented. (MP)

In introductory computer science courses, the Unified Modeling Language (UML) is commonly used to teach basic object-oriented design. However, there appears to be a lack of suitable software to support this task. Many of the available programs that support UML focus on developing code and not on enhancing learning. Programs designed for…

Skill shortages in the area of computer network troubleshooting are becoming increasingly acute. According to research sponsored by Cisco's Learning Institute, the demand for professionals with computer networking skills in the United States and Canada will outpace the supply of workers with those skills by an average of eight percent per year…

Software is a critical component of systems ranging from simple consumer appliances to complex health, nuclear, and flight control systems. The development of quality, reliable, and effective software solutions requires the incorporation of effective software engineering processes and leadership. Processes, approaches, and methodologies for…

Visions of future computing in residential settings often come with assumptions of seamless, well-functioning, properly configured devices and network connectivity. In the near term, however, processes of setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting are fraught with difficulties; householders regularly report these tasks as confusing, frustrating, and…

Project MLeXAI [Machine Learning eXperiences in Artificial Intelligence (AI)] seeks to build a set of reusable course curriculum and hands on laboratory projects for the artificial intelligence classroom. In this article, we describe two game-based projects from the second phase of project MLeXAI: Robot Defense--a simple real-time strategy game…

Purpose: This paper aims to sketch the emerging notion of auto-adaptive software when applied to e-learning software. Design/methodology/approach: The study and the implementation of the auto-adaptive architecture are based on the operational framework "ActiveTutor" that is used for teaching the topic of computer science programming in first-grade…

In this article, the author points out that the cultural bias against serious study of science and technology is rarely recognized as a reason for American students' poor performance. Students respond more profoundly to cultural imperatives than to market forces. In the United States, students are insulated from the commercial market's demand for…

Do liberal arts colleges act like research universities when they seek to appoint new faculty members? Evidence shows that research universities bid aggressively for talent, using discretionary salary policies to achieve a diverse professoriate, appoint research stars, and fill vacancies in fields where market forces require differential salaries.…

Online electronic education is now being widely accepted as a major viable component of higher education. This is fuelled by the emergence of worldwide information and computer communications technologies. However, online education is not being adopted in science and engineering subjects as widely as in other fields because of the …

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) was used as a foundation to redesign a computer programming class for mechanical engineers, in which content was delivered with hybrid/distance technology. The effort confirmed the utility of CLT in course design. And it demonstrates that hybrid/distance learning is not merely a tool of convenience, but one, which, when…