Describes a collection of systematic theory-based analyses of a system prototype that inherited its control mechanisms from preexisting systems. Demonstrates that collective use of system and user modeling techniques provides insight into a complex design problem, enabling the examination of design decisions for users and implementation. Discusses…

Provides an applications-oriented view of algorithmic historiography and how it relates to understanding scientific paradigms. Discusses HistCite[TM], a program that allows scholars to identify significant works on a given topic; paradigm shifts; a genealogic approach; citation analyses; correcting variations in citations; and bibliographic…

Discusses Web design accessibility from the perspective of a librarian who is legally blind. Explains problems encountered with the growing use of graphics as opposed to text-based sites and suggests steps that librarians can take to help make the Web more accessible. (LRW)

Calls for principals to collect data on student performance that go beyond scores on high-stakes tests. Explains reasons for selecting student assessment data that are reliable, universal, and understandable. Describes three advantages of commercial electronic assessment programs: quick feedback, ease of use, and multiplicity. (PKP)

Describes research conducted with Hong Kong university students that investigated challenges to collaboration during computer-assisted instruction as evidenced by discourse. Evaluates videotapes of the students according to a set of discourse markers and suggests implications for software designers, teachers, and students to enhance collaboration…

Compared the performance of four polytomous item response theory (IRT) and three linear models for constructing adjusted grade-point-average (GPA) measures. Studies involving cohorts of 1,255 and 1,796 college students and an additional 1,823 and 1,879 college students. Discusses implications of findings for correlation of grade-based measures and…

Reports the results of a survey conducted shortly after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, through its U.S. Library Program, awarded a statewide grant of computers and software to public libraries in Louisiana, to gather data about the grant's impact on library staff. A copy of the survey is appended. (Author/LRW)

Describes the use of Autodesk Revit, a computer software system for design and documentation of buildings, in the planning of the University Center of Chicago, a large residence hall involving the cooperation of DePaul University, Columbia College, and Roosevelt University. (EV)

Focuses on the role of tools provided by a computer microworld (C.AR.ME) on the strategies developed by 14-year-old students for the area measurement of a non-convex polygon. Interprets and classifies student strategies on a transformation and comparison task into categories in terms of the tools used for their development. (Author/MM)

Preservice teachers (n=22) observed 45 elementary students' use of instructional CD-ROMs and evaluated the software. Pre/post data indicated that their initial unproblematic views of instructional software modified somewhat. They became more aware of issues in technology use in education. (Contains 19 references.) (SK)

Compared multimodal instruction with text and pictures with unimodal text-only instruction as 44 college students used a visual or textual manual to learn a complex software application. Results initially support dual coding theory and indicate that multimodal instruction led to better performance than unimodal instruction. (SLD)

Considers how good phonics instruction should encourage children to recognize rimes and to identify an unfamiliar word by blending its onset with the rime that follows. Discusses seven conclusions/implications for phonics software derived from research into phonics instruction. (SG)

Presents a rationale for measuring the economic impact of continuing education program such as extension. Describes IMPLAN, a software program used for tracking program impacts, and explains how it is used by Oklahoma State University. (SK)

Presents the benefits of using online methodologies in second language acquisition (SLA) research. Provides a selection of online experiments that have been widely used in first and second language processing studies that are suitable for SLA research and discusses the hardware and software packages required for setting up a psycholinguistic…

This guide to using qualitative case study research in business education explains methodological steps and decisions, illustrated with examples from business research. It addresses data analysis and interpretation, including discussion of software tools. (Contains 25 references.) (SK)