Lists six computer programs appropriate for children aged 3 to 6. Includes for each program a description, price, producer's address and phone number, and types of personal computers with which the software is compatible for each program. These programs, which were reviewed in the 1988 SURVEY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SOFTWARE, are rated by nine…

Provides a general review of the field of Computer-Aided Design Software including specific reviews of "Autosketch,""Generic CADD,""Drafix 1 Plus,""FastCAD," and "Autocad Release 9." Brief articles include "Blueprint for Generation,""CAD for Every Department,""Ideas…

EDUCOM, a consortium of more than 500 colleges and universities involved in computing, favors the establishment of a review process that would help professors identify useful computer programs and promote the recognition of software development as a scholarly activity worthy of credit toward tenure and promotion. (MLW)

Lists and describes databases that provide software reviews and directories, and that focus on particular applications, including engineering, education, libraries, microcomputers, and general business. A directory of these databases is provided which includes the database producer, starting date, updating frequency, and online access vendor. (CLB)

Describes a survey of members of the Educational Software Evaluation Consortium that resulted in a ranked list of 22 criteria used in preparing their annual software preview guide. Noting that content and pedagogical concerns received the highest rankings, the report offers five recommendations for future software development, evaluation, and…

Evaluates a flash card computer program designed to increase reading decoding speed with a sample of 55 8- to 12-year-old Dutch poor readers, using a pretest-training-posttest control group design. Finds that after eight weeks children in the training group improved substantially in decoding speed on pseudowords practiced and on untrained…

Provides extensive reviews of two CD-ROM titles related to Native Americans: (1) Microsoft's "500 Nations: Stories of the North American Indian Experience" and (2) "The American Indian: A Multimedia Encyclopedia: by Facts on File." Evaluation criteria include content; authority; search engine; audience appropriateness; price;…

Reviews software programs for second language learners. "The Interactive Picture Dictionary" provides spelling assistance and vocabulary extension in a learner-oriented context. "WordSmith Tools" contains six programs focusing mainly on lexical analysis. "LANSchool" permits teachers to broadcast programs on the…

The director of facilities at a prestigious 75-year-old Delaware school located an easy-to-implement software program to computerize the schools's physical-plant system. The right software helps facilities managers oversee schools' physical plants, including budgeting and maintenance. (MLF)

This article identifies realistic, research-based computer simulations that are capable of stimulating student decision making. Also discussed is a recent category of computer programs, probeware. Students use a sensing device (probe) to measure physical characteristics and transmit results to a computer which collects, stores, and displays the…

Reviewed are 13 computer software packages including "Algebra I Second Semester"; "The Algebraic Proposer"; "SVE AutoGraph"; "Geometry: Concepts and Proofs"; "Geometry 1&2"; "Graphics Calculator"; "Interactive Physics"; "Learning Data Analysis with Data Desk";…

Health educators need to recognize potential of microcomputer in school health program and become familiar with its application in order to function effectively within next decade. Applications for software packages can be used for two general purposes in the school health program: classroom and school-wide management and delivery of instruction.…

Discusses software that is used to drive and access optical disk jukeboxes, which are used for data storage. Categories of the software are described, user categories are explained, the design of implementation approaches is discussed, and representative software products are reviewed. (eight references) (LRW)

Elementary and secondary teachers present strategies for using technology to reduce time spent on routine classroom tasks. The article describes computer software that streamlines classroom management (e.g., for keeping grades and teaching notes). An annotated list of software programs and their manufacturers is provided. (SM)

Examines the use of computers, strategies for using packaged software and the use of multimedia in the elementary school classroom. Information on telecommunication software and examples of its use are also provided. The article includes addresses and phone numbers for acquiring product information. (GLR)