An experiment is proposed for learning the principles of radio. A simple radio receiver illustrates amplitude modulation and demodulation, the selectivity of a receiver and the features of a directional antenna. Both normal and computerized versions of the experiment are described. The computerized experiment employs the "ScienceWorkshop"…

The teaching of energy throws up many different approaches and causes many arguments. This paper describes yet another approach to teaching the subject matter using a system of diagrams, but hopefully one that will be an acceptable compromise for many teachers. Lord Rutherford is often quoted as saying, "All science is either physics or stamp…

PowerPoint has become something of a standard business communication tool, for better or worse. The "worse" part of that formulation is something of a cliche in the business world, and poor use of the tool can be damaging to a business manager's career progress. The author has been using a two-part approach to teaching PowerPoint skills in an…

This article features the latest classroom technologies namely the FLY Pentop, WriteToLearn, and a new iris scan identification system. The FLY Pentop is a computerized pen from Leapster that "magically" understands what kids write and draw on special FLY paper. WriteToLearn is an automatic grading software from Pearson Knowledge Technologies and…

At the start of a freshman calculus course, many students conceive the classical definition of limit as the most problematic part of calculus. They not only find it difficult to understand, but also consider it of no use while solving most of the limit problems and therefore, skip it. This paper reformulates the rigorous definition of limit, which…

The application of technology to educational settings has always been an interesting phenomenon. Each new technological advance is described as a panacea for whatever ails education at that moment. As people move closer to more current times, the influence of personal computers and the rise of the internet has affected the educational setting in…

One of the simulation engines of an open-source program called the Molecular Workbench, which can simulate thermodynamics of chemical reactions, is described. This type of real-time, interactive simulation and visualization of chemical reactions at the atomic scale could help students understand the connections between chemical reaction equations…

UCLA, which has one of the top 10 research libraries in the country, has been using Taos software since 1996. However in 2001, Sirsi Corp. announced that it was freezing development on Taos software. As the associate university librarian for information technology at UCLA, the author relates that it was his responsibility to lead the way through…

This article presents an interview with Jim Hirsch, an associate superintendent for technology at Plano Independent School District in Plano, Texas. Hirsch serves as a liaison for the open technologies committee of the Consortium for School Networking. In this interview, he shares his opinion on the significance of open source in K-12.

Every learner is on a trajectory, an individual path that involves choices about what to do next in order to learn, choices that are bounded by intrinsic and extrinsic constraints. In some cases the learner controls those choices, sometimes they are made by someone or something else, sometimes control is negotiated, or it emerges from complex…

This book provides a clear introduction to widely used topics in bivariate and multivariate statistics, including multiple regression, discriminant analysis, MANOVA, factor analysis, and binary logistic regression. The approach is applied and does not require formal mathematics; equations are accompanied by verbal explanations. Students are asked…

This article presents the universal design features that were identified during the alpha development of a scheduler software program, known as MySchoolDayOnline, for use in schools, and provides preliminary research on the usability of these features. The study presented here investigated the accessibility and usability of MySchoolDayOnline for…

This article explores self management in professional work in the context of a shift from traditional professionalism to forms of governance where functions and responsibilities previously attributable to the professional communities are "insourced" to the individual worker. Drawing on data from an interview study among recently educated…

Many researchers have investigated several aspects of using Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) applications and presented many advantages for using CALL in TESL setting (i.e. where English is taught as a second language). In this paper, the author aims to illustrate how CALL applications would improve substantially the process of teaching…

Modeling has been shown to correct weaknesses of traditional instruction by engaging students in the design of physical models to describe, explain, and predict phenomena. Although the modeling method can be used without computers, the use of computers allows students to study problems that are difficult and time consuming, to visualize their…