Describes reasons for developing combined text and computer assisted instruction (CAI) teaching programs for delivery of continuing education to laboratory professionals, and mechanisms used for developing a CAI program on method evaluation in the clinical laboratory. Results of an evaluation of the software's cost effectiveness and instructional…

Single-subject studies conducted with 7 hearing-impaired students (aged 6-19) provided empirical support for determining the effectiveness of computerized versus noncomputerized instructional methods and the effectiveness of certain types of software. Drill and practice software helped students learn spelling and vocabulary, but a game-simulation…

Presents an instructional design model for software that was developed to increase the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction in the classroom. The importance of basing the design of instructional materials on valid learning theories is discussed, and efforts to increase the effectiveness of instructional software are described. (39…

Discusses the role of computer-assisted instruction in teaching thinking skills and presents a case study in teaching domain-specific strategies. A videodisc-based program called "Mastering Ratios and Word Problems Strategies" is described, and the debate over teaching broad-based thinking processes versus content-specific skills is…

Discusses faster modems and the limits of telephone lines; applying classroom teaching principles to the Web courseware; computer-based education (CBE) versus instructor-led distance education; necessary components of a Web-based CBE instructional solution (management, courseware, groupware); anatomy and components of the PLATO courseware system;…

Two parallel studies were conducted to determine whether students' achievement in reading and/or mathematics would be affected by the use of Education Systems Corporation (ESC) Software for Chapter 1 students. Students in the experimental groups used the software twice a week during a period of one school year, with 561 Chapter 1 students in…

The article presents a software evaluation checklist developed by a teaching-research laboratory for severely handicapped students in New York City. In an introductory section, the use of laptop microcomputers in helping handicapped learners acquire, maintain, and generalize functional skills is described as the fifth ingredient of an integrated…

An increasing number of non-statistical software packages are being written as supplementary instructional materials provided free or at low cost for economics principles textbooks. This paper reviews the software programs currently available as ancillary material to several major texts and compares what is available as a group against what should…

Discusses problems and misconceptions concerning the appropriate use of computers in K-12 classrooms. The use of software to support computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is described, teacher-written software is discussed, telecommunications issues are considered, and the role of administrators and teachers is examined. (two references) (LRW)

Identifies critical questions with respect to the evaluation process in the design, development and use of courseware. Argues that certain fundamental difficulties in quantifying and judging effectiveness and learning outcomes might lead one to abandon formal evaluation; awareness of those difficulties is important for developers and teachers…

Reports the findings of a program evaluation project that assessed the integration of technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) into a second semester, college-level French course. Thirty-three French II students participated in the study. The results suggest that it is both feasible and desirable to integrate TELL activities into the language…

The current plateau in the use of computers in the schools is discussed. An explanation for this is drawn from brief historical examples that demonstrate the inherent conservatism of schools and teachers, the problem of integrating technology in the classroom, and the resistance of teachers to practices that present a perceived threat to good…

Since about 1962, researchers have explored the effectiveness of educational software in the schools under various conditions, and many have concluded that computer assisted instruction (CAI) is effective. Many of the studies reviewed to support this conclusion, however, had design flaws. Reviews of educational software effectiveness studies have…

Factors inhibiting more widespread use of computer-assisted instruction and computer-assisted language learning include: start-up costs of computer hardware; dearth of quality courseware; skepticism regarding its effectiveness; and the educational system and the teacher. However, the promise of cost-efficiency and versatility, plus the potential…

This article reviews five modes of computer-assisted software so that teachers will be more aware of them and use computers more in their classrooms. The five modes are the following: (1) drill and practice; (2) tutorial; (3) simulation; (4) demonstration; and (5) instructional games. Teachers should review softwares and choose those that meet…