Giving students their own disks to use as they please can inspire them to develop new programming skills and original approaches to using the computer. Offers suggestions on preparing disks for individual student use and making such disks a personal item. (JN)

Discusses activities for counting using FOR/NEXT commands, finding number of letters in words using LOGO, generating random numbers on the TRS-80 (program listing included), and examining mistaken predictions. Includes the article "Animating Graphics in BASIC" by Ellen Joslin (program listing included). (JN)

Presented are six activities suitable for middle grades. They include programs for voting, creating Logo patterns, and for selecting a writing topic. Other activities focus on use of the colon and FOR/NEXT loop in BASIC and evaluating programs. (JN)

Five activities suitable for upper grades are provided. They include programs to create polygons (Logo), determine where text is placed on screen (Apple Pascal), and draw a working clock (Logo). Other activities focus on command statements and creating a quiz. (JN)

Suggested is an approach to computer education that has as its basis a specific application, as opposed to computer technology as an end in itself. (MP)

An approach to teaching BASIC to twelve-year-olds makes full use of the graphics capability of PET computers. Student experimentation with the use of loops leads to the creation of something tangible as well as intellectual. Students discover how modifications to simple programs affect outcomes. (MP)

This discussion of the use of microcomputers to simulate complex situations for classroom use describes the advantages of using simulations, including their adaptability to many subject areas and content fields, their power to explain complex concepts, and their ability to provide variations for individual users. As an example, seven objectives…

Outlines a program for implementing the Logo computer language in the classroom. Presents five introductory lessons that can be used with upper elementary students and some introductory comments about planning. (SRT)

Making Cryptograms is designed to give middle grade students practice in using the FIND and REPLACE features on their word processors. An activity sheet (which may be duplicated for class use) is provided. Instructional strategies are also provided. (JN)

This document consists of nine issues of the National LOGO Exchange Newsletter (NLX). Each issue contains several articles as well as regular features and departments. The lead articles in this volume are entitled: (1) "Twenty Powerful Ideas" (Molly Watt); (2) "Multiple Turtles without Sprites" (James Hurley); (3)…

Intended for teachers seeking computer training or persons responsible for such training, this paper presents a list of computer competencies for reading teachers. The first section of the paper lists the beginning level competencies, which require very little computer knowledge and are sufficient for using instructional software in reading…

This collection of articles and features reprinted from "The Computing Teacher" begins with an outline (the table of contents) of a 20-session course, "Logo in the Classroom," by Shirley Torgerson, Mary Kay Kriley, and Janet Stone. The text of the first session and a student exercise sheet are also provided. Five articles…

Material covers: (1) What Is a Mathematical Concept; (2) How are Mathematical Concepts Developed; (3) How Can Computers Help Children Learn Concepts; (4) Using Software; (5) Writing Programs; and (6) What Must We Do. Using software and writing programs are two very different experiences, but both can enhance concept development processes. (MP)

This paper explores the realm of evaluation within the domain of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS). Toward that end, Littman and Soloway (1988) described two facets of evaluation: external and internal. Described here are a variety of procedures that they did not address and some that they discounted. One of the procedures not explored was the…

The use of the Logo programing language in natural language manipulation provides the basis for the development of the computer-assisted grammar instruction program for children that is described in this paper. The computer activities suggested are designed to get children in grades 4-12 to formulate rules of grammar based on their own knowledge…