Addresses the cultural gap between teachers who are computer literate and those who are not. Highlights include traditional teaching methods; surface reasons for not using computers, including high cost, complexity, hostile interface, and rapid obsolescence; the opportunity for students to become independent lifelong learners with the Internet;…

Investigates the effects of two hypermedia interface design strategies on learner efficiency, perceptions of usability, and performance. Compares undergraduate student outcomes of comprehending and locating information by using manual and visual filtering via computers. Findings support the use of these filtering tools as methods of increasing…

Presents Texas Instruments' new Calculator-Based Laboratory (CBL), a hand-held device that connects to a graphing calculator, as a tool to make sophisticated measurements outside the classroom laboratory. Describes activities that use the CBL to make measurements in motion studies. (JRH)

Describes the use of the TI-82 graphics calculator as an intermediate step in introducing computers to the high-school physics lab. Discusses linking the calculator with other machines so that students can save data, enter programs on a computer and later download to the calculator, and transfer graphs to a computer for printing. (JRH)

While the telepointer has been widely accepted in the Computer Supported Collaborative Work community, little work has been done to quantify its effect on performance and perception. We present preliminary results quantifying the telepointer's effect on knowledge retention and satisfaction in an online collaboration. In experiments, a remote…

The note discusses ways in which technology can be used in the calculus learning process. In particular, five MATLAB programs are detailed for use by instructors or students that demonstrate important concepts in introductory calculus: Newton's method, differentiation and integration. Two of the programs are animated. The programs and the…

This handbook is designed to provide guidance for someone who wants to create portable multimedia presentations with notebook computers and related technologies. The first section offers technological overviews to help assess needs for: (1) portable computers; (2) software; (3) projection equipment; (4) peripherals; (5) portable storage; (6)…

This study evaluates the use of graphing calculators in the science classroom within the context of a collaborative action research approach. A class of diversified middle-class students (n=650) defined by teachers and administrators as "above average" were studied. Initially, information was gathered on current classroom management techniques as…

Describes the use of the Texas Instruments' calculator-based laboratory (CBL) and Vernier accelerometer for measuring the vector sum of the gravitational field and the acceleration of amusement park rides. (JRH)

Many varieties of data acquisition systems are now available for science classrooms. Most systems consist of a range of sensors--typically called probeware--connected to an interface unit usually described as a datalogger due to its capacity to record data from these sensors. Although some systems operate independently, most units connect to a…

Probeware is increasingly being implemented in science classrooms because it is less expensive than it used to be and improvements in hardware and software have made it more accessible to students and teachers. Many probes or sensors can now simply be connected to a computer, calculator, or other handheld device, and will immediately begin to…

Computer interfaced electrostatic charge sensors allow both qualitative and quantitative measurements of electrostatic charge but are quite sensitive to charges accumulating on modern synthetic materials. They need to be used with care so that students can correctly interpret their measurements. This paper describes the operation of the sensors,…

This study investigated the effects of interface tools and learner cognitive styles on performance in searches for information within a hypermedia database. The subjects, 75 students in a university English as a Second Language (ESL) program, were blocked for field dependence and assigned to four treatments which differed by the search tool…

Electronics Engineering Technology majors in the Industrial and Engineering Technology department at Central Michigan University have developed many real-world projects that represent the type of problem-solving projects encouraged by industry. Two projects that can be used by other educators as freestanding projects or as the core for further…

Year 11 students investigated the real-world problem of whether screws are really brass. It allowed them to use the colorimeter and computer interface in a way that was easily understood and models normal practice in testing laboratories. Screws were dissolved in nitric acid and their absorbance of red light was compared with a standard curve.…