Traces the history of the National Library of Medicine with emphasis on research and development activities in biomedical communications and information science. Highlights include the areas of bibliographic control, library automation, information retrieval, knowledge management systems, and educational technologies. (CLB)

This description of computer conferencing in its educational context as a tool for encouraging greater autonomy in the learner highlights programs in Britain's Open University and at Bath University. Topics discussed include teaching and learning trends in higher education and the role of conferencing in education in the future. (Author/LRW)

Describes four online information service packages developed for schools: (1) Dialog's Classroom Instruction Program; (2) Addison-Wesley's Einstein; (3) WNET's Learning Link; and (4) McGraw-Hill's Information Exchange (MIX). Databases offered in each service are described, as well as accompanying curriculum materials, and costs for the services…

Describes the environmental studies program of the University of Vermont, which has at its core a rigorous undergraduate environmental studies degree program. Discusses the development of the undergraduate program, as well as the research and service aspects of this fifteen-year-old effort. (TW)

This second in a series of articles on artificial intelligence emphasizes human factors. The design of video display units and keyboards is discussed, the organizational structure of human memory is described, humans are examined as information processors using inductive and deductive reasoning, and educational implications are explored. (LRW)

Describes design principles followed in developing an interactive microcomputer-based simulation to study financial and economic aspects of the Dutch social security system. The main goals are to improve participants' insights into the formal simulation model, and to improve policy development skills. Plans for future research are also discussed.…

This study compared 52 resource room programs for mildly mentally handicapped, learning disabled, and severely emotionally disturbed secondary students, which used or did not use microcomputers. Benefits of microcomputer use included increased active task engagement and increased individually focused instruction, but overall differences in most…

Discusses the abundance of electronic equipment available for use in second-language instruction in contrast to the shortage of courseware available. The lack of courseware is attributed to teacher resistance to and fear of technology and the lack of institutional support for teachers to design courseware. (LMO)

Mathematical problem-solving processes used by 27 eighth graders who had studied programming were compared to those of 27 who had not. Programmers used more systematic approaches and reviewed solutions more often than nonprogrammers but did not make more use of equations or do more planning. (PK)

Describes study designed to investigate dental students' attitudes toward computer-assisted teaching as applied in programs for oral radiology in Denmark. Programs using personal computers and slide projectors with varying degrees of learner and teacher control are described, and differences in attitudes between male and female students are…

Concentrates on describing the implementation of the hardware systems based on the BBC microcomputer. Describes the electronic systems used to amplify the signals from the detector and to convert the signal to digital format. Discusses the software that must be used and the system performance. (CW)

Describes a study conducted to assess use of educational television (ETV) and self-instructional materials (SIM) in Jamaica's secondary school system and determine factors affecting their implementation. Current trends in adoption of educational technology in the Jamaican secondary schools and some implications for utilization in developing…

Discusses the problems of assimilating electronic publishing within the technical services area of academic libraries: whether to consider electronic journals as acquisitions; how to catalog them; whether to charge users for access to them; and how to preserve online publications for future research. Future trends in electronic publishing are…

Review of software designed to help students find and use reference materials covers use of databases and word processing programs to record and organize notes for student research papers and online databases to acquire research materials. Learning activities for teaching how to use these resources include program for computer dictionary. (MBR)

Describes a collaborative effort involving art, earth science, and computer lessons in teaching the theory and practice of contour mapping. Discusses the approaches and activities contained in the unit for seventh-grade students. Includes the computer program which was written for use with Terrapin LOGO on an Apple II. (ML)