No systematic empirical study on investigating the effects of performing task variants on user cognitive strategy and behaviour in usability tests and on learnability of the system being tested has been documented in the literature. The current use-inspired basic research work aims to identify the underlying cognitive mechanisms and the practical…

Currently available spreadsheet programs for microcomputers provide many features that can be very useful for evaluators and researchers. Some of the basic concepts involved in spreadsheet use are introduced, and information is provided on the use of spreadsheets in maintaining and analyzing evaluation data. The spreadsheet used in the discussion…

This paper summarizes information about using computer hardware and software to aid in making purchase decisions that are based on user needs. The two major options in hardware are IBM-compatible machines and the Apple Macintosh line. The three basic software applications include word processing, database management, and spreadsheet applications.…

A program designed to administer questionnaires on IBM and IBM-compatible personal computers is described. The program prompts subjects to indicate responses by clicking on a graphic line segment or entering a numeric value. The program enhances accuracy in estimating moderating effects by overcoming transcriptional errors and scale coarseness.…

Provides guidance on making decisions regarding the selection of foreign language instructional software. Identifies sources of foreign language software, indicates sources of foreign language software reviews, and outlines essential procedures of software evaluation. (Author/VWL)

Offers guidelines for reviewing and evaluating English language arts software. Includes advice on using the guidelines. (RS)

Discusses the evaluation of instructional computer software. Groups who evaluate software are described, including EPIE (Educational Products Information Exchange); the evaluation process is discussed, including formal and informal software reviews; criteria for software evaluation are considered; and the importance of participation in the review…

Discusses 12 questions that teachers and administrators should ask when evaluating educational software. Considers points such as the consistency with the curriculum, the appropriateness of media and activities, the opportunity for practice and review, the allowance for social interaction, and the accessibility to students. (SR)

Synthesizes information that is available on software evaluation and provides a software evaluation checklist to help educators examine software based on linguistic and pedagogical criteria. The checklist allows educators to compare and contrast software products, enabling them to select software that is best suited to their classrooms.…

Examines current state of children's software evaluation practice. Predicts future educational software evaluation in light of the dynamic nature of educational and "edutainment" software. Discusses key issue such as the best way to evaluate the appropriateness of software for children at each age group and the most efficient means of making this…

Reviews problems with educational software and presents a framework for educational software design, focusing on topic selection, knowledge presentation (simplicity, presentation, program control, structure versus exploration, navigation), knowledge construction (multiple choice, tasks, case studies) and evaluation. (PEN)

Schools are currently receiving increased funds for multimedia software for classrooms. There is a need for good software in the schools, and there is a need to know how to evaluate software and not naively rely on advertisements. Evaluators of multimedia software for education must have the skills to critically evaluate and make decisions not…

Seventy-seven children between the ages of 6 and 10 years, with severe mixed receptive-expressive specific language impairment (SLI), participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Fast ForWord (FFW; Scientific Learning Corporation, 1997, 2001). FFW is a computer-based intervention for treating SLI using acoustically enhanced speech…

Students enrolled in a single-subject design course studied the repeated acquisition of response sequences by using CHAINS, a QuickBASIC 4.5 program, which runs in DOS or Windows. For about 2 months, students examined the learning of such sequences as a function of various treatments. Each week students graphed their data, discussed their…

This report compares two integrated course delivery packages: "Centra 6" and "WebEx". Both applications feature asynchronous and synchronous audio communications for online education and training. They are relatively costly products, and provide useful comparisons with the two less expensive products to be evaluated in the following report #53.…