Designed to illustrate effective course design for user-oriented materials for data processing education or training, this paper argues that conceptual knowledge should be integrated into a course only as it is needed to support task knowledge. The importance of determining the direction of a course by planning and controlling the informational…

Developed by the Michigan State Board of Education, this document begins with brief discussions of a philosophy for the integration of computers into all content areas and district planning for computer use in schools. Essential goals and objectives for computer education are then outlined in the following areas: (1) computing and its evolving…

Delaware County Community College's (DCCC's) course, "Introduction to Microcomputers," was designed to develop the basic level of computer competency necessary to enter the college's microcomputer technology programs. Three manuals were developed for the course: an instructor's manual, a self-paced study guide for students, and a student exercise…

Over 100 key resources regarding computer science education at small colleges are collected in this bibliography. A brief review of the collected documents introduces the bibliography, categorizing and relating the materials and noting their emphases. The review concentrates on materials published after 1978, but cites the major works providing…

This digest summarizes diverse viewpoints in the controversy over the meaning and practice of "computer literacy." The issue of whether being able to read and write computer programs should be a a computer literacy requirement for teachers is specifically addressed. Attempts to define computer literacy goals for teachers are noted,…

This report explores the complex agenda of issues, promise, and problems that building a developmental science of programming entails and emphasizes the need to highlight different types of programming and programmers, the different cognitive subtasks involved in programming, and the social character of many programming efforts. An introduction…

With the changing demographics of the American workforce, the National Science Foundation, along with the U.S. Department of Commerce, has highlighted the shortage of minorities in information technology (IT) careers (http://www.ta.doc.gov/Reports/itsw/itsw.pdf). Using data from a 6-year period and the psychology Involvement-Regimen-Self…

Components of a computer studies course are discussed, goals for 15 topics to be covered in a first-year course are specified, and sample evaluation items are included. (DT)

The costs and benefits are considered of offering computer terminal operation as part of secondary school or junior college business machines courses and general education technological background. (EA)

Three significant training needs in the computer area must be met: (1) providing computer staff with needed technical skills, (2) training non-specialist staff in new procedures and skills, and (3) enabling everyone who uses computers in his work to know something of their workings and application. (MW)

Described are the text materials "The Computer - Yours Obediently," developed for a course in computer appreciation. (SD)

Part of a series of case studies on successful academic computing programs at minority institutions, this monograph focuses on the Community College of Baltimore (CCB). Sections I and II outline the purpose and background of the case study project, focusing on the 11 computing activities the case studies are designed to facilitate, the need for…

This review of ideas from cognitive and educational psychology that are related to the problem of how to teach non-programmers to use computers explores two techniques. The first one discussed is the effects of concrete models on people's understanding and learning of new technical information such as computer programming. Research results provide…

To make training cost-effective for its small systems customers, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) is providing self-instructional packages that can be used by customers on-site for training people to run their systems. To control the quality of this training, Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) is now incorporated into some of these packages.…