In this paper we consider geometrical construction problems and their role in mathematical education. Owing to the main features of construction problems (accuracy in making conclusions, strict structure, rigorous language and constructivistic nature), they can be fruitfully used in teaching mathematics and computer science. We shall try to shed…

A tool for teaching bioinformatics concepts to information systems majors is described. Biological data are available from numerous sources and a good knowledge of biology is needed to understand much of these data. As the subject of bioinformatics gains popularity among computer and information science course offerings, it will become essential…

Transformational Events is a new pedagogic pattern that explains how innovations (and other transformations) happened. The pattern is three temporal stages: an interval of increasingly unsatisfactory ad hoc solutions to a persistent problem (the "mess"), an offer of an invention or of a new way of thinking, and a period of widespread adoption and…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

The first article, "LOGO and von Neumann Ideas," deals with the creation of new procedures based on procedures defined and stored in memory as LOGO lists of lists. This representation, which enables LOGO procedures to construct, modify, and run other LOGO procedures, is compared with basic computer concepts first formulated by John von…

The computer-centered, interdisciplinary learning environment called Soloworks at the University of Pittsburgh is described and placed in the perspective of continuing curriclulm change. The organization of the hardware into computer lab, dynamics lab, synthesis lab, modeling/simulation lab and logical design lab is explained. Teaching/learning…

Computer programing should not be confused with programed instruction (PI) or computer-assisted instruction (CAI). PI and CAI are processes that demand that the student assume a passive and docile role, whereas, programing is an active, dynamic process in which the student is required to instruct the computer how to perform certain basic…

Side-developments of an instructional systems development team which are themselves important products of a research effort are documented in this report. The five studies presented include an investigation of the comparability of computer-assisted and conventional test administration, prompting and confirmation as instructional strategies with…

An overall schema of interpretation for programming instructors is given, so that the misconceptions students develop in programming can be determined more readily. Types of language-independent and -dependent bugs, how they can be identified, and how to help students overcome them are addressed. (MNS)

Describes a study which compared the instructional effectiveness of a team-based, peer-review approach to teaching programing skills to secondary school students, with that of a traditional approach. The discussion covers students' attitudes and programing skills development resulting from the implementation of the experimental approach. (Nine…

This paper reports the evaluation of instructional provisions designed to foster higher cognitive skill in a computer programming course. This intervention explicitly encourages novice programmers to engage in the problem-solving skill of planning. (Author)

Describes a course (Introduction to Numerical Techniques of Physics) which can be adapted to such courses as applied mathematics, numerical analysis, mechanical or electrical engineering, chemistry, and biomathematics. Course goals (including emphasis on the distinction between computing, programming and coding) and instructional strategies are…

This paper presents an overview of the fundamental characteristics of the teaching and learning environment of a computer language class course designed for college-level engineering and computer science education. Characteristics include training teachers, student evaluation, learning environment, and integrating disciplines. (Contains 16…

A prototype system based on an inverted pendulum is used to study the Quality of Service and discuss requirements of remote-experimentation systems utilized for carrying out control engineering experiments over the Internet. This class of applications involves the transmission over the network of a variety of data types with their own peculiar…