People may exhibit two kinds of modifications when demonstrating action for others: modifications to facilitate bottom-up, or sensory-based processing; and modifications to facilitate top-down, or knowledge-based processing. The current study examined actors' production of such modifications in action demonstrations for audiences that differed in…

The technological complexity and richness of a child's environment today is far beyond what any adults today experienced when they were growing up. For example, no adult today knows what it is like to be a four-year-old using his or her first iPhone app or Webkinz account. Therefore, we seek ways to understand what children need in today's new…

Computers may not be able to master poetics like Aristotle, but they have become smart enough to know a metaphor when they see one. An online database called The Mind Is a Metaphor, created by Brad Pasanek, an assistant professor of English at the University of Virginia, is a searchable bank of phrases, verses, and lines from literature that…

This is the fourth and final installment in a series of articles presenting a new outlook on the methods of instructional design. These articles examine the nature of the process of instructional design and are meant to stimulate discussion about the roles of designers in the fields of instructional design, the learning sciences, and interaction…

This paper explores the use of design patterns and anti-patterns in teaching human-computer interaction principles. Patterns are increasingly popular and are seen as an efficient knowledge transfer mechanism in many fields, including software development in the field of software engineering, and more recently in the field of human-computer…

Visions of future computing in residential settings often come with assumptions of seamless, well-functioning, properly configured devices and network connectivity. In the near term, however, processes of setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting are fraught with difficulties; householders regularly report these tasks as confusing, frustrating, and…

"The Computer Revolution", a part of the "Second Industrial Revolution", is examined with reference to the social consequences of computers. The subject is introduced in an opening section which discusses the revolution in the handling of information and the history, powers, uses, and working s of computers. A second section examines in detail the…

The danger of computers is not that people will be controlled by them but that they may imitate them, mistaking data for wisdom. Unobstructed access to facts can produce unlimited good only if matched by the desire and ability to discover what they mean and where they would lead. (MSE)

Knowledge about computer hardware is growing in importance for the humanist because of the increasing impact of small personal computers. A basic knowledge of hardware need not be either difficult to acquire or too technical to be useful. The informed scholar can contribute greatly to the humanization of computer systems. (CMV)

Discusses fundamental questions about the nature of machine translation and outlines its history. Also describes an experiment in cooperative translation called ITS (Interactive Translation System), evaluating the system's capabilities and predicting future developments. Finally, offers suggestions for translators interested in preparing to use…

This discussion of the utilization by computer designers and users of metaphors as organizing structures for dealing with the complexity of behavior of human/computer interfaces begins by identifying three types of metaphor that describe various aspects of human-computer interface design, i.e., activity, mode of interaction, and task domain. The…

Describes expert systems which are computer programs which use inference schemes to apply generalized human expertise to the facts of a specific case. Basic concepts, potentials and implications are presented along with the issues involved in their development and use. A simple expert system, written in BASIC, is included to illustrate the…

Part-time indexers were trained according to a previously established training program. The performance of experienced indexers was compared to the performance of these index trainees. Several makes of microfiche readers were evaluated, particularly with regard to their use by indexers. One make offered the most advantages, and a number of these…

Describes human-computer interface needs for empowering environments in computer usage in which the machine handles the routine mechanics of problem solving while the user concentrates on its higher order meanings. A closed-loop model of interaction is described, interface as illusion is discussed, and metaphors for human-computer interaction are…