Outlines minor repairs and maintenance that can be done to minimize problems and to lower service costs for computers. Highlights include: components of a repair tool kit; benefits of familiarity with equipment; preventative measures to cut down on repairs; installation of RAM, DIP, and SIMM chips; board configurations; installation of a drive;…

Provides real-life examples of training disasters; offers tips for avoiding and recovering from them when they do occur. (JOW)

Workers who become adept at using computer software are often asked for help by coworkers. To use their time more efficiently, they should be prepared as effective on-the-spot trainers who might teach a group how to solve a common problem. (SK)

In two automotive air-conditioning classes, an experimental group (n=12) conducted laboratory activities structured by cognitive apprenticeship principles; 14 controls attended lectures. Cognitive apprenticeship was significantly more effective in increasing information acquisition, troubleshooting knowledge, and diagnostic skills. (SK)

Nineteen Air Force technicians completed four mental model measures: laddering, component-readiness ratings task, diagramming task, and think-aloud and verbal troubleshooting. All but the think-aloud technique predicted troubleshooting performance. Laddering and ratings were independently predictive, suggesting that they capture different aspects…

This article represents the second part of a series in this journal called "How to Perform a Security Audit." It continues the conversation on setting up a process for identifying security-related concerns and implementation safeguards. It continues the conversation from the perspective of system monitoring. This article discusses how to use a…

Internet error messages can be attributed to three types of problems: server problems, connection problems, or user errors. Examines the causes and remedies for common error messages. (PEN)

Engineers and technicians completed a knowledge inventory and performed an electronics troubleshooting activity in three context groups (repair, design, production). Results showed general lack of troubleshooting preparation in all groups; common troubleshooting processes among experts; and deemphasis of theoretical knowledge among production and…

When 975 respiratory therapists evaluated their critical thinking behaviors, they rated themselves highest in prioritizing, troubleshooting, and communicating and lowest in anticipating. Age and education level did not influence ratings; experience in respiratory care and gender affected ratings in troubleshooting, decision making, and…

A study with students enrolled at an urban technical college compared learning of HTML coding across three Web-based program versions. One group received examples providing factual information about the source code (Facts group). A second group was presented with a step-by-step description of the source code (Procedures group). The third group was…

A model of the interface design process is proposed that makes use of two interdependent levels of cognitive analysis: the study of the criterion task through an analysis of expert/novice differences and the evaluation of the working user interface design through the application of a practical interface analysis methodology (GOMS model). This dual…

This guide was started in 1986 as an effort to pull together a collection of several computer guides that had been written over the previous several years to assist schools in making simple computer repairs. The first of six sections contains general tips and hints, including sections on tool requirements, strobe disk speed adjustment, static…

This guide provides instructions for preventive maintenance and for making minor technical adjustments on microcomputers. General hints are provided for all microcomputers concerning static electricity reduction; use of dust covers; heat, magnetic fields, and floppy disks; and the use of halogen fire extinguishers. These are followed by…

By shifting pedagogical goals from obtaining successful mutations to teaching students critical troubleshooting skills, it has been possible to introduce site-directed mutagenesis into an undergraduate teaching laboratory. Described in this study is an inexpensive laboratory exercise in which students follow a slightly modified version of…

Troubleshooting in a practice situation requires two types of information, namely for reasoning about the problem-cause and for finding an adequate solution ("declarative information") and for manipulating the environment ("procedural information"). It is hypothesized that presenting this information piece-by-piece during practice (i.e.,…