Describes a study in which 12 students' papers were critiqued by both WordPerfect's "Grammatik" grammar checking software and by real English/business communication professors. Finds significant limitations to the effectiveness of the software as a guide for student writers. (SR)

Finds that student Groupware users are generally satisfied with member contributions and group output but are less satisfied with software-supported, decision-making processes. Suggests that Groupware is a powerful communication tool for support of work groups but that it may not in itself solve the basic problems of getting people to work…

Describes the development and implementation of a stand-alone computer assisted learning package for the manufacturing division of Digital Equipment Corporation. Trial tests of the courseware showed gradual improvement suggesting that computer assisted learning has considerable potential in industrial training. Identifies several issues to be…

Authorware is Macromedia's powerful feature-rich tool for courseware development. Version 6.5, released in September 2002, introduces new features for usability, extensibility, and accessibility. New usability enhancements include improvements to script functions and liberal use of drag-and-drop operations. First-time users should beware that they…

Evaluates six "open" (empty of content and customized by users) software programs using the literature-based characteristics of documentation, learner control, branching capabilities, portability, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. Interviewed computer-knowledgeable individuals to confirm the legitimacy of the evaluative characteristics. (LRW)

Monte Carlo methods are used to evaluate marginal maximum likelihood estimation of item parameters and maximum likelihood estimates of theta in the two-parameter logistic model for varying test lengths, sample sizes, and assumed theta distributions. Results with 100 datasets demonstrate the methods' general precision and stability. Exceptions are…

Describes a study that analyzed the evolution of microcomputer-based instructional software for grades K-12 published from 1981-88. Four companies identified their most popular software and their most technically advanced software. Products in each category were analyzed to develop a chronology of the evolution of instructional software and to…

Discusses the use of technology to individualize mathematics instruction for gifted students. The use of computers in a mathematics classroom allowed students to identify objectives, communicate results, and implement activities related to goals. Successful math software programs are highlighted. (CR)

Discusses the software review process recently completed at the University of Kansas that resulted in the adoption of an integrated Web course development package. Highlights include stakeholders represented on the evaluation team; establishing review criteria; identifying and evaluating software; demonstrations; and recommendations. (Author/LRW)

Evaluation of the impact of computer-related technologies on learning must take place within a theoretical framework consisting of theories, concepts, and principles to be meaningful. The framework provides the context of a research, its rationale, and its significance. The instructional theory and technology defined by Robert Gagne is selected as…

In today's growing technological age of educational software and interactive Internet teaching/learning websites, it is important to note that educators must take the time to see that the interactive electronic experiences their students are involved meet the appropriate standards, hence been evaluated. This article provides the readers with an…

Every dollar counts in today's school libraries, where a resource is evaluated not just by the cost, but also by how many students will utilize it. A recent survey shows that many school librarians rely on their state to help provide (and pay for) databases that their students can access from the school media center or at their public library.…

The aim of this study is to design and develop a Physically Interactive Learning Environment, the PILE system, by integrating video-capture virtual reality technology into a classroom. The system is designed for elementary school level English classes where students can interact with the system through physical movements. The system is designed to…

A study investigated the instructional effectiveness of Autotutor, an interactive video program developed at Trinity College (Ireland), based on its ability to create an environment promoting learner interaction in a second language. Six students in three monolingual pairs (Japanese, Korean, Spanish) were filmed and recorded using the business…

Research papers on language and linguistics include: "Enchainement des mots et acces au lexique en francais" ("Word Order and Lexical Access in French") (Besson); "L'apport de la coarticulation dans la perception de consonnes occlusives et constrictives" ("The Contribution of Coarticulation to the Perception of…