Designed to be used as a reference and guide for students enrolled in the CompuEnglish Program at Saddleback College North (SCN) in California, this workbook introduces word processing skills that can be used to write better compositions for English and other classes. The workbook contains a copy of the syllabus used in SCN's Freshman Composition…

The process of focus-finding in qualitative research is ongoing and dynamic, involves researcher choices and decisions (rather than pure discovery), and is a process of social construction in which the researcher interacts with the research setting. Focus-finding is discussed in the context of a qualitative research study of the integration of…

A model of parent involvement in computer education is discussed in relation to activities of the Computer Discovery Project at the Center for Young Children, University of Maryland. Content focuses on parents' attitudes and concerns about the use of microcomputers in educational settings. Growth in parents' involvement with computers is…

Technology is growing in exponential leaps as capabilities increase and prices decrease. In some cases, advancement occurs so rapidly that, just as one technology becomes known, a succeeding one emerges. Such rapid change introduces a need for frequent reevaluation of equipment and application strategies and of the organizational learning process;…

Designed to provide K-12 teachers in Oregon with a scope and sequence, a listing of resources, and a large collection of ready-to-use activities for teaching computer literacy, this handbook is divided into nine sections which contain computer literacy instruction keyed to behavioral objectives. Topics covered include: (1) the history of…

This report summarizes the proceedings of a conference held at the Harvard Graduate School of Education which focused on the conceptual distinction between microworld software and expert system software in education. Microworld software is defined as software which lacks a specific teaching and learning agenda, and expert systems as software that…

This demonstration introduced microcomputers into St. Amant High School in Louisiana by instituting a word/information processing program. Microcomputers, printers, and necessary software were purchased, and the manufacturer's educational representative instructed the word/information processing teacher on the operation of the equipment. The…

Three item response models were evaluated for estimating item parameters and equating test scores. The models, which approximated the traditional three-parameter model, included: (1) the Rasch one-parameter model, operationalized in the BICAL computer program; (2) an approximate three-parameter logistic model based on coarse group data divided…

A study evaluated the effects of one reading software program on the written language production of kindergarten and first grade students. Subjects were approximately 600 students from six different schools--three using the computerized reading program, Writing to Read, and three comparable in demographics, but not using the program. Stories…

This paper summarizes and highlights some of the critical developments, issues, and trends which impact the work of survey research. The issue of preventing or minimizing nonresponse bias by successfully obtaining cooperation from people being surveyed continues to be of concern to survey research professionals. The most effective response rate…

This study examined the effect of type of correlation matrix on the robustness of LISREL maximum likelihood and unweighted least squares structural parameter estimates for models with categorical manifest variables. Two types of correlation matrices were analyzed; one containing Pearson product-moment correlations and one containing tetrachoric,…

In the summer of 1983, a centralized microcomputer laboratory was established on the Sarasota County Vocational Technical Center campus. Computers (IBM PCs, APPLE IIes, and TRS-80s) were installed and the teacher who had written the program proposal was chosen to teach the course of instruction to be offered by the laboratory. When classes began…

The 52 papers in this volume, which represent recent research and applications in the field of computer-based instruction, are grouped under 10 general topic areas: (1) computer-based training; (2) elementary, secondary, junior college, and math education; (3) health; (4) home economics; (5) implementation; (6) mini-microcomputers; (7) PILOT; (8)…

Two distance education courses presented via teleconferencing by the University of Calgary were redesigned to include graphic support utilizing Canada's Telidon videotex system. Data were gathered on both the instructional effectiveness of and student responses to the graphics. While the evaluation pointed out a number of features that needed to…

This paper reviews the basic elements of the EM approach to estimating item parameters and illustrates its use with one simulated and one real data set. In order to illustrate the use of the BILOG computer program, runs for 1-, 2-, and 3-parameter models are presented for the two sets of data. First is a set of responses from 1,000 persons to five…