Describes the major aspects of a 20-lecture introductory course for environmental science students, showing how microcomputers can help teach dynamic systems concepts. Also discusses the continuous stirred tank reactor as a simple dynamic system, higher order systems, frequency response, nonlinear systems, and feedback control. (JN)

Explains the use of a trained team selected from an organization to supply knowledge of the work system and help gather and process the data within a reasonable time. Role relationships, diagnostic team activities, team knowledge and skill requirements, team member selection, and costs are discussed. (JD)

This discussion of the legal aspects of acquiring a computer system emphasizes the buyer's rights. Guidelines are provided for drafting a contract specific to the individual buyer's needs and modifying the vendor's standard form contract. (EM)

Reviews three areas of knowledge needed to select an appropriate needs assessment strategy: (1) the criteria for selecting the method, (2) nine needs assessment methods, and (3) a means of categorizing methods. Provides an example of an assessment activity conducted in a small rural hospital. (LRA)

Suggests computer assisted instruction software that doesn't provide all necessary components of a lesson can be useful if the teacher identifies instructional functions (Gagne's Events of Instruction) provided by the program and supplies those that are missing. This framework is applied to analysis of a specific computer program. (MBR)

A college course in the geography of agriculture presents a unique opportunity for an integrated study of economic, physical, and human geography. A teaching model which uses a systems analysis approach is presented. (RM)

An automated food service accounting system allows management to concentrate on the problems at hand. (Author/MLF)

These five papers by speakers at the Small Computers in Libraries 1987 conference include: "Acquiring and Using Shareware in Building Small Scale Automated Information systems" (Samuels); "A Software Lending Collection" (Talab); "Providing Subject Access to Microcomputer Software" (Mitchell); "Interfacing Vendor…

Explains a method for converting school building rehabilitation costs into costs per square foot (unit costs) for seven categories of building components. Unit costs are useful in budgeting, consistent with standard practices of building cost estimating, and easily adjusted for variations due to locality and the economy. (MLF)

The greater organizational complexity of libraries and information centers in recent years has given rise to more complex problems for managers. To facilitate solutions, operations research (OR) techniques have been developed that consider the quantitative dimensions of problems along with their political and organizational aspects. Eight standard…

This article presents an integrative skills assessment approach for teaching students of social work to perform assessments. The approach is based on technical eclecticism and combines three practice models: (1) psychosocial, (2) cognitive-behavioral, and (3) systems. Specific teaching strategies as well as shortcomings of this approach are…

Summarizes critical attacks on Immanuel Wallerstein's World Systems approach to history and offers new critical evaluations. Wallerstein argued that an emerging capitalist world economy dominated politics and history from the 16th century to the present. Defines two new approaches, institutional analysis and post colonial cultural theory, that…

This report reviews the eight-month process of planning for library automation undertaken by the Cleveland State University libraries late in 1984. Following an overview of the planning process, a listing of goals is presented, and six documents developed as a result of the process are provided. "Review of Current Systems" includes…

This manual describes and illustrates ED QUEST (Quick Environmental Scanning Technique), an educational planning model designed to identify emerging issues and events which portend threats and opportunities to colleges and universities, to analyze the probable impact of these variables on the organization, and to facilitate the development of…

Describes two interactive computer programs that simulate abstract relationships and require students to use inductive reasoning, form and test hypotheses, and analyze functions of systems and the reasoning processes required to understand them. Their development and use in college philosophy of science courses is outlined, and possible future…