Microcomputers in schools contribute significantly to the learning process, and software selection is taken as seriously as the selection of text books. The seven step process for responsible software selection are: (1) analyzing needs, including the differentiation between needs and objectives; (2) specification of requirements; (3) identifying…

Based on the presumed criteria by which Australian secondary school teachers would select computer software for their students' use, an adventure game concerning Australian gold rushes was developed. It and other games were tested by students in and outside the classroom. Criteria for selecting appropriate software for student use were identified.…

Discusses the incorporation of multicultural nonsexist education (MCNSE) concepts into the educational software used in computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Forty software programs for K-12 social studies are reviewed in terms of six forms of bias, and suggestions for enhancing the integration of CAI with MCNSE are offered. A software evaluation…

The selection of courseware is a difficult problem in the use of computers in education. A dissemination procedure for a courseware selection instrument involving workshops for computer coordinators is described. Computer coordinators of 267 Dutch secondary schools were asked how they used certain sources of information in selecting courseware.…

Proposes a taxonomy to aid decision makers in selecting computer software consistent with their educational values regarding the nature of instruction and the use of information technology, based on beliefs about human development and learning. Characteristics of instruction, properties of software, and the congruence between them are discussed.…

Evaluates the suitability of commercially produced historical simulation software for college-level history instruction. Provides a software evaluation template. Sees gains at all levels in constructing sequence structures for teaching cause and effect. Recommends that future designers create simulation exercises dedicated to the methodological…

Institutions of higher education are embracing the role of the Internet as a medium to promote on-demand communication between faculty and students. As such, online course management systems have become an efficient and effective means of facilitating learning outside the classroom. To ensure that a course management system meets the needs and…

This handbook provides information on 31 software programs designed to instruct students with attention disorders in individual and group settings. The most successful applications of instructional software are identified, and six broad categories of instructional software are discussed. Twenty-one strategies for teaching students with attention…

Discusses the necessity for providing access to microcomputers in elementary education and recommends 48 software titles that would be appropriate for public or school libraries. Considerations for librarians establishing a microcomputer software collection are discussed, and suggestions for choosing preschool programs as well as programs in…

Presents 10 documents from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) featuring use of computers in the social studies classroom. Describes using computers in an elementary classroom history project, as teaching aids for the learning disabled, and for teaching basic skills to adults. Identifies documents that survey computer use in social…

Reviews approaches using computer-assisted instruction that may be effective strategies to use with at-risk students. Highlights include developing an Individual Educational Plan (IEP); criteria for selecting appropriate educational software; keeping parents informed; the use of multimedia; high standards and performance-based evaluation; and…

This publication provides information on implementation of an integrated learning system for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in adult learning environments. The first of the document's nine chapters is an introduction to computer-delivered instruction that addresses the appropriateness of computers in instruction and types of CAI activities.…

Evaluators of software for education must make a series of decisions about which issues have a direct impact on their choice of software. Instructional context analysis is the first step, including identifying the learners, the instructor, the learning environment, and technical needs and limitations. The next step is instructional goal analysis;…

When integrated appropriately into the curriculum, technology can support the achievement of specific learning outcomes. To help newcomers to technology, the paper lists professional journals, technology organizations, and quality software and multimedia catalogs and presents a list of strategies teachers can use to evaluate whether technology can…

This paper presents a brief synopsis of recent trends in moral education and suggests ways in which a blending of idea and product technologies can promote the development of four specific moral sentiments: sympathy, duty, fairness, and self-control. Four integrated strategies that teacher educators can use to help preservice and inservice…