Israel's Software Evaluation Project sets national standards for hardware and software that is used in schools. All courseware must be approved for technical requirements and pedagogical content. After approval, the courseware is certified for use within Israel's school system for 2 years. Three times each year, schools, inspectorates, and…

This study was conducted to examine how teachers' beliefs about computer-assisted instruction (CAI) relate to the types of instructional software they use with students, the types of computer related activities they provide for their students, whether they integrate computer usage with other instructional activities, and whether they had received…

The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) found an increasing need to provide computer-aided instruction (CAI) as a component of its curriculum, in particular to help staff and volunteers become computer literate. GPLC staff designed and taught two 12-week introductory computer courses for up to 20 (10 each) literacy staff and volunteers.…

The systematic evaluation process used in Georgia's DeKalb County School System to purchase comprehensive instructional software--an integrated learning system (ILS)--is described, and the decision-making model for selection is presented. Selection and implementation of an ILS were part of an instructional technology plan for the DeKalb schools…

Integrated Learning Systems (ILS) can be used as instructional tools and to produce reports on student progress. Three different systems from Curriculum Computer Corporation (CCC), Ideal Learning, Inc., and Jostens Learning Corporation were piloted in three elementary school to evaluate ILS usefulness in reading/language arts and math. The pilot…

Intended as an easy-to-use quick reference tool for finding good software packages to meet specific educational objectives in language arts, reading, and mathematics, this directory focuses on highly rated software designed to teach basic learning and thinking skills. Software listed in the directory is available from International Business…

This paper provides a balanced set of guidelines for reviewing educational software, and offers a simple and practical procedure that can be used to select software for instructional purposes. The procedure applies equally well to individual "titles" or to large-scale curriculum-based systems. It applies to software delivered on a CD-ROM, through…

Discusses evaluation criteria for selecting courseware that teaches basic concepts appropriate for preschool and early elementary students. Reviews of the software manual, the courseware itself, and reviews by students are suggested. Other areas of concern that are addressed include instructional quality, production quality, flexibility, and cost.…

Some students do not "take to" computers as a learning tool. Reasons for this include inappropriate software; use of the same software for all students rather than accommodation of different interests, needs, and learning styles; and various handicaps (both physical and mental). For example, many students prefer a holistic approach;…

This final report in the MicroSIFT series reviews 10 software packages that deal mainly with the areas of electricity, magnetism, and heat energy. Software titles appearing in this report were selected because they were judged to be exemplary according to various criteria in the MicroSIFT Evaluator's Guide, with some additions to address science…

Microcomputers in schools contribute significantly to the learning process, and software selection is taken as seriously as the selection of text books. The seven step process for responsible software selection are: (1) analyzing needs, including the differentiation between needs and objectives; (2) specification of requirements; (3) identifying…

Based on the presumed criteria by which Australian secondary school teachers would select computer software for their students' use, an adventure game concerning Australian gold rushes was developed. It and other games were tested by students in and outside the classroom. Criteria for selecting appropriate software for student use were identified.…

Discusses the incorporation of multicultural nonsexist education (MCNSE) concepts into the educational software used in computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Forty software programs for K-12 social studies are reviewed in terms of six forms of bias, and suggestions for enhancing the integration of CAI with MCNSE are offered. A software evaluation…

The selection of courseware is a difficult problem in the use of computers in education. A dissemination procedure for a courseware selection instrument involving workshops for computer coordinators is described. Computer coordinators of 267 Dutch secondary schools were asked how they used certain sources of information in selecting courseware.…

Proposes a taxonomy to aid decision makers in selecting computer software consistent with their educational values regarding the nature of instruction and the use of information technology, based on beliefs about human development and learning. Characteristics of instruction, properties of software, and the congruence between them are discussed.…