Forty-three papers from a conference on microcomputers are presented under the following headings: Computing in the Curriculum, Information and Computer Science Information; Institutional and Administrative Computing, and Management, Services, and Training. Topics of the papers include the following: telecommunications projects that work in…

Virtual worlds technology (VWT) uses special computer hardware and software to link humans with computers in natural ways. A data model, or virtual world, is created and presented as a three-dimensional world of sights and sounds. The participant manipulates apparent objects in the world, and in so doing, alters the data model. VWT will become…

Two studies were carried out to evaluate the quality of multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) model parameter estimates obtained from the computer program NOHARM. The purpose of the first study was to compute empirical estimates of the standard errors of the parameters. In addition, the parameter estimates were evaluated for bias and the…

The reopening of a middle school in San Diego, California, provided a testing ground for a unique collaborative effort between the school faculty, a university department, and Apple Computer Corporation. The desire to infuse technology and cultural awareness across the curriculum led to the development of an interactive "microworld" game…

The more than 100 papers in this collection describe examples of successful technology integration in teacher education. The applications are extremely diverse, including computer-assisted instruction, hypermedia, interactive video, computer simulations, telecommunications, and more. The applications also represent the range of instructional and…

The development and preliminary evaluation of the Computerized Adaptive Testing System (CATSYS), a new testing package for IBM-compatible microcomputers, are described. CATSYS can be used to administer and score operational adaptive tests or to conduct on-line computer simulation studies. The package incorporates several innovative features,…

This report describes a training project undertaken as part of the Bank Street College Mathematics, Science and Technology Teacher Training Project (MASTTE) to introduce teachers to "The Voyage of the Mimi," a 13-part television drama and multimedia package designed to supplement the regular curricula for science and mathematics in the…

Because density is unobservable and must be inferred from knowledge about weight and size, it is a difficult concept to teach and learn. Even after traditional instruction, many students still have an undifferentiated concept that mixes characteristics of both weight and density. In this study, researchers tested the effectiveness of a unit they…

This guide for teachers focuses on how microcomputers may be used in the home economics classroom and how the computer is affecting and changing family life. A brief discussion of potential uses of the microcomputer in educational settings is followed by seven major sections. Sections 1 and 2 provide illustrations and definitions for microcomputer…

Computer simulations of agricultural finance and management may be helpful to students preparing for agricultural careers. Simulations would provide problem definition and problem solving in realistic interactions with complex and ambiguous situations similar to those encountered in farming. The paper describes a major financial problem for…

Discusses the need for education about soil erosion and advocates the use of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to show the impacts of human and natural action on the land. Describes the use of a computer simulated version of the USLE in several environmental and farming situations. (TW)

Recommends using academic learning time as the major factor in deciding whether and how to introduce the computer into the curriculum at any grade level or any subject. (JC)

This special feature focuses on recent developments in optical disk technology. Nine articles discuss current trends, large scale image processing, data structures for optical disks, the use of computer simulators to create optical disks, videodisk use in training, interactive audio video systems, impacts on federal information policy, and…

Contains seven articles about computer applications to chemistry instruction. Includes descriptions of a three-dimensional animation of a potential energy surface, numerical solutions of kinetic equations, applications for spectroscopy courses, a computer-controlled experiment on the tin/lead solid/liquid phase diagram, an inexpensive thermistor…

Discussion of microcomputer use in public elementary schools focuses on the field of special education. Two main ways of using computers are described: (1) traditional uses, including administration, computer-assisted instruction, and assessment; and (2) new applications, including programming, word processing, simulations, and prosthetic aids…