Presents a tiling problem designed to be solved using the microcomputer, which will give students a context upon which to build meaning for the concepts of factors, common factors, and greatest common factors. (PK)

Describes pseudoprimitives, a set of special procedures which allow traditional geometric topics to be used within the context of LOGO. Explains how these procedures can be extended and used in junior and senior high school geometry. (PK)

Reviews five software packages for use with school age children. Includes "Science Toolkit Module 2: Earthquake Lab"; "Adaptations and Identification"; "Geoworld"; "Body Systems II Series: The Blood System: A Liquid of Life," all for Apple II, and "Science Courseware: Life Science/Biology" for…

Seven research conclusions concerning computers in elementary schools are presented. A summary conclusion suggests that researchers have been unable to detect improvement in mathematical skills, although some evidence suggests that students using computers acquire attributes related to success in mathematics. (PK)

Three small multilingual groups of learners of English as a foreign language worked on three text-based computer-assisted language learning tasks. While the students worked, their conversations were videorecorded for the purpose of investigating the possible utterances (spin-off) generated from the activity in terms of interaction in the target…

The summative evaluation of a courseware program designed to assist in writing the lower-case alphabet is described to demonstrate the effectiveness of a field test for answering specific evaluation questions, collecting maximum evidence on which to base conclusions of instructional effectiveness, and being flexible enough for use in normal…

The first study investigates the validity of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument as a diagnostic tool for differenciating the ability of language impaired preschoolers to use language to communicate complex ideas. The second study evaluates the relative effectiveness of two software environments that were expected to enhance children's…

Examines the importance of levels of questioning and types of feedback in designing courseware for computer-based education. Test results are analyzed for four groups of high school students who completed different versions of a computer-based science lesson, and recommendations for future research are given. (Author/LRW)

Reviews three software programs: "Fraction Fuel-Up"; "Explorations in Chemistry"; and "Locus." Includes information on: instructional orientation, educational level, systems package, publisher, program description, strengths and weaknesses, applications, and recommendations for improvement. Includes a general critique statement in the summary…

Description of a validated computer assisted instruction (CAI) program (The Addition Tutorial) illustrates how four critical components for instruction--learning principles application to instructional design; sufficient database; adequate motivational system; and delivery system which provides teacher learning environment control--might be…

Discusses conception, design, implementation, and evaluation of a calculus course that utilizes a multi-user microcomputer system with graphics terminals. The numerical and utility routines of the software are briefly described, and examples of several types of calculus problems that can be solved utilizing the system are reviewed. (Author/MBR)

The "PLATO[R] Math Expeditions" and "PLATO[R] Projects for the Real World" curricula are designed to implement effective, research-based instructional practices. "Math Expeditions" is designed to give elementary grade users the mathematics skills and practice needed to solve real-life problems. Across the eight…

This Technical Paper focuses on the new PLATO[R] reading curricula which represent an innovation in the computer-based teaching of basic reading skills and advanced reading comprehension strategies for adults and young adults in secondary and postsecondary academic settings, as well as adult/job skills training. The first section is divided into…

This paper provides a balanced set of guidelines for reviewing educational software, and offers a simple and practical procedure that can be used to select software for instructional purposes. The procedure applies equally well to individual "titles" or to large-scale curriculum-based systems. It applies to software delivered on a CD-ROM, through…

Authoring tools have evolved over the last decade based on technological and pedagogical innovations, from authoring bounded, program-controlled learning systems such as Computer-Based Instruction (CBI) to authoring unbounded, learner-centered environments such as Web-Based Instruction (WBI). This paper discusses the current state of authoring…