Discusses methods that software evaluation organizations use to evaluate instructional software. Topics addressed include who does the evaluating, including the role of students as well as teachers, subject matter experts, media specialists, and school administrators; reliability of evaluations; and possible improvements in the evaluation process.…

This article reviews technological advances in educational computer use and discusses applications for computers as tools, tutors, and tutees in mathematics education of gifted students. Computer-assisted instruction, artificial intelligence, multimedia, numeric processing, computer-aided design, LOGO, robotics, and hypercard software packages are…

Describes musical instrument digital interface (MIDI), a communication system that uses digital data to enable MIDI-equipped instruments to communicate with each other. Includes discussion of music editors, sequencers, compositional software, and commonly used computers. Suggests uses for the technology for students and teachers. Urges further…

Describes the Advanced Instructional Design Advisor, an Air Force project which involves the development and testing of automated instructional design guidance for use by Air Force technical training specialists in the development of computer-based training software. System architecture is explained, and a cognitive continuum approach to the…

Discusses computer-based training (CBT) methods that emphasize an interactive learning environment but do not require video. Topics addressed include cognitive processes; different levels of interaction, including simulation or problem solving; the use of icons and buttons; hypertext; differences in learning styles; and thought-provoking…

Describes a study of students in grades two through eight that was conducted to determine the potential existence of a developmental sequence of specific association types among children and the implications for the design of interactive hypermedia materials. Highlights include schema theory; word associations; and semantic mapping and concept…

Describes the use of microcomputer-based software in an introductory statistics course at Vanderbilt University. The use of Wingz spreadsheet and Data Desk statistics software is described, objectives for the course are explained, possible objections to computer-assisted instruction for statistics are addressed, and student reactions are reported.…

Describes the evolution of courseware development and compares existing development methods, including traditional programing languages, authoring languages, and authoring systems. The use of a product which includes a customized courseware generator or authoring system is proposed, and an example is described that used HyperCard to teach the…

The HealthCare Interactive Videodisc Consortium, a self-governing organization, was formed to design, produce, and evaluate interactive videodisc courseware for the medical field. The 14 United States and 4 Canadian medical and nursing school members were selected based on subject matter and biomedical communications expertise and availability for…

Discussion of speech recognition technology and its use in computer-assisted instruction focuses on prototype systems designed for medical education. Commercial speech recognition systems are described, hardware and software requirements are examined, and the use of a speech recognition system to streamline an existing user interface is discussed.…

Describes a project at Australia's University of Melbourne to design and trial a new interactive multimedia package for teaching German to beginners. The package includes an interactive computer-based program and a learner textbook/workbook. The multimedia component comprises dialogs, dictations, and various question formats. Student reaction to…

Describes the use of "Recorder Teacher," a computer software program that teaches elementary students to play the soprano recorder and compose their own music. Highlights include reinforcing music concepts; using written and auditory examples in the software; and testing on fingering and reading. Sample screens are included. (LRW)

Reviews a commercial software package that was originally developed for English but can be adapted for use in Japanese. The approach here is the adaptation of a generic program to a specific instructional context, with the attendant benefits and limitations. (Author/JL)

Describes bicultural (United States and Russia) development of a computer-aided instruction (CAI) tool to learn management decision-making using information systems technologies. The program has been used with undergraduate and graduate students in both countries; it integrates free and controlled market concepts and combines traditional computer…

Describes a study of college freshmen that investigated the effects of navigation maps on search performance, browsing behavior, and cognitive map development within hierarchical-structured hypertext courseware. Results of analysis of variance indicate that map type significantly affected search performance and browsing behavior. (Author/LRW)