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Many educators have concerns about integrating appropriate software in the pre-school curriculum and about what to consider when selecting this technology. This paper presents a criteria for selecting appropriate software for early childhood education. The software that is selected should allow children to explore it and the programs should be child-initiated. Educators should consider the software's age appropriateness, whether it allows independence, its content, and whether it can hold a child's interest. The software should not be isolated but should support all areas of interest--such as blocks, sand, science, dramatic play--and activities that go on in the classroom. Educators should decide on a theme, select appropriate theme-related software, and then develop the activities that will follow. The computer should be seen as another positive tool that can be used to enhance learning and development, and educators should continue to learn about the benefits of this technology for education. (AEF)

This study examined the perceptions of basic education school teachers in Turkey to the educational software evaluation criteria, developed for the acquisition of multimedia instructional software by the Turkish Ministry of National Education, from the viewpoint of actual users. Data were collected through structured interviews, group discussions, and participant observation. The findings indicate that instructional adequacy is the most important criterion both from the theoretical and from the practical perspective; a second factor mentioned was that effective instructional software should include real-life examples and simulations of abstract concepts. Criteria considered as having secondary importance were the variety and number of exercises, the aspect of developing students' creativity and critical thinking capacity, presentation of accurate information, being free from scientific errors, individualizing learning, being in accordance with the pedagogical level of students, and being enriched through the use of a variety of sound effects, images, videos, and animations. Other questions addressed the conditions under which instructional software was used and issues to be taken into consideration in the future phases of instructional software procurement and technology assisted instruction. (Contains 11 references.) (MES)

This article is a primer for educators hoping to choose instructional software for their classrooms. The following four basic principles that all quality educational software has in common are discussed: (1) an adherence to learning theory, including behavioral and cognitive theory; (2) employment of gaming features; (3) culturally sensitive content; and (4) the elicitation of an emotional response from the learner. In addition, a brief discussion of the instructor's responsibility in using software is presented. (Contains 12 references.) (Author/MES)

A study investigated software choices of graduate-level clinicians in a university reading clinic to determine computer use and effectiveness in literacy instruction. The clinic involved students of varying ability, ages 7-12, using 24 Power Macintosh computers equipped with "ClarisWorks,""Kid Pix,""Student Writing Center," and "Netscape Navigator" software. Computer lab observations, examination of clinicians' lesson plans, and software evaluation forms showed that for computerized instruction: (1) follow-through was a lower priority; (2) time-on-task was less targeted; (3) computers were sometimes chosen for motivational value only; (4) software was used for drill and practice word recognition instruction, word processing, electronic books, Internet, and one-on-one interaction; and (5) hardware use resulted in frustrations because of unfamiliarity and availability issues. Findings suggest: teachers were moderately technically competent, were eager to use computers, and needed more time to familiarize themselves and plan; skill and grade level of software needed to be pinpointed with a corresponding list; and motivational stimulation regarding computers should be carefully determined. (Contains 11 references and 2 figures of data; an appendix lists 61 software titles available at the clinic.) (EF)

This paper documents the steps taken by Christopher Newport University (CNU) (Virginia) as it planned and implemented a World Wide Web-based education program in 1998-99. The paper begins by providing an overview of the context for distance education at CNU and detailing the history of both the institution and distance education. Next, the rationale that prompted CNU to invest time and resources into developing a Web-based education program, as well as the evaluation of different program options, is covered. Program implementation is then addressed, including training and support systems. Problems encountered are summarized, and the program's next steps and further directions are considered. (MES)

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are learning management software systems that synthesize the functionality of computer-mediated communications software and online methods of delivering course materials. This report focuses on how to evaluate the properties, capabilities and orientation of different systems from an educational perspective, and how to determine whether the new technology can be embedded into the teaching and learning context of an institution. Two different models are explored--one from education, the other from systems modeling--as a basis for constructing a pedagogical evaluation methodology for VLEs. The report concludes that among factors slowing the integration of VLEs in higher education institutions is the lack of a coherent framework within which to evaluate both the pedagogical benefits and the organizational changes required to effectively implement it. Another factor includes the extent to which VLEs can currently interact with other existing systems. VLEs are inevitably designed with a pedagogical model in mind that is not usually made explicit. The evaluative strategies in this report are intended to reveal these implicit characteristics, to help educators choose a software system that reflects the way they wish to teach. An appendix provides a summary of the features of several current systems. The Virtual Learning Environments Questionnaire is also provided. (AEF)

This paper describes the integration of computers into two preschool classrooms in the Child Development Laboratories at the University of Tennessee. Before the placement of the computers in fall 1996, conversations with teachers revealed concerns about how best to use the computers. As a result of these discussions, a plan for training and evaluation was developed that focused on how to increase teachers' familiarity and comfort with the technology. Shortly thereafter, hardware and software were purchased, and training was initiated. Observation of the classrooms in spring 1997 revealed unintended outcomes and effects. Even with an ongoing training plan for the computers in place, teachers struggled with the integration of the computers in the curriculum. On the positive side, the computer center became a significant parental interest and a place of frequent parent-teacher communication. Hence, as teachers became comfortable with the use of the computers into their classrooms, they also focused on how to use the technology as a tool for child observation and how to share that information with the children's families. A plan for integrating the computers into the whole curriculum still needs to be developed. The major challenge has been finding the time and resources to use computers effectively. Only continued planning, evaluation, and reevaluation will allow for the full and optimal use of computers in the early childhood setting. The paper concludes with two appendices: (1) "Instructional Technology Standards for Teacher Licensure in the State of Tennessee" and (2) "Some Examples of Teacher Ideas for Extension of Software Activities." (LPP)

This paper presents a brief synopsis of recent trends in moral education and suggests ways in which a blending of idea and product technologies can promote the development of four specific moral sentiments: sympathy, duty, fairness, and self-control. Four integrated strategies that teacher educators can use to help preservice and inservice teachers "plug into" these moral sentiments are described: (1) virtual gatherings--a form of telecommunication activity meant to bring together participants from different geographic locations and time zones; (2) social action projects--real world contexts for humanitarian, action-oriented telecommunications activities; (3) careful selection and re-purposing of computer courseware; and (4) video production projects. (AEF)

This paper discusses the development of two World Wide Web sites at Anne Arundel Community College (Maryland). The criteria for the selection of hardware and software for Web site development that led to the decision to use Microsoft FrontPage 98 are described along with its major components and features. The discussion of the Science Division Web site addresses efforts at acquainting science faculty with the capabilities of FrontPage 98, training and support to assist faculty in preparing personal Web pages, and providing workshops for faculty developing Web-based courses. The Center for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT) Web site, developed as a teaching and learning resource for the college community, is discussed; highlights include CALT links to other Web resources and inclusion on the site of examples of what can be done with various hardware and software tools. Several suggestions for helping faculty make the journey from anxiety to enjoyment/comfort in the use of technology are offered. Several Web sites related to FrontPage 98 and faculty development are listed. (AEF)

In school districts throughout the country, computer literacy is considered a top educational goal, however, too few administrators, teachers, and parents understand what the term really means. The computer plays two roles in schools: information resource--as a complement to books, magazines, video, and other media; and self-contained teaching machine--such as integrated learning systems in which the computer acts like a personal tutor, providing lessons, quick feedback, infinite patience, and detailed achievement records for students to go through at their own pace. It is important to provide workshops to educate teachers and administrators in computer skills. Different types of computer software programs can be used: tutorial software, simulation software, and problem solving software. Different thoughts about how computer use in schools should be stressed include: emphasize precise, measurable objectives prior to instruction; stress problem solving; use an idea centered technology curriculum; use a technology centered curriculum to emphasize pupil/teacher planning of objectives, learning opportunities, and evaluation procedures. The paper also covers psychology in computer use and national standards in education. (Author/SWC)

This paper describes a college math and computer science educator's experience integrating multimedia materials in classroom instruction. It serves as a "tutorial" for non-computer science educators considering adding multimedia presentations to their instruction. The paper covers: the time commitment for developing and integrating multimedia materials; software choices; hardware requirements and options--development concerns and advice; storage and retrieval; and staying current with the rapidly changing field. (SWC)

This paper discusses advances in technology and how teachers can use technology for teaching students with disabilities. The work of the Macomb Projects, a group of federally funded, early childhood special education projects at Western Illinois University that has been exploring the use of computer and adaptive technologies in the education of young children with disabilities, is described. Highlighted are: the benefits of assistive technology to children with physical disabilities (encourages autonomous behavior and the increases the probability of interaction with the environment); verbal and nonverbal children (computers encourage communication); and children with autism (computers encourage socialization) are highlighted. Components of implementing technology are also discussed, including the need for administrative support and staff development, technology integration, and software evaluation. Characteristics of good software for young children with special needs are identified, including materials that: (1) encourage exploration, use of imagination, and problem solving; (2) contain sound, music, and voice; and (3) are open ended, animated, and interactive. Other good software characteristics are: the menu and interface facilitate independent use; children can determine the order in which the activities are to be played; several levels of difficulty can be selected; novelty is built-in; the program is highly responsive; and animated routines and verbal instructions are interruptible. (Contains 17 references.) (CR)

Quality education is often impeded by lack of instructor time and by a failure to provide instruction that is individualized and at the point of need. Integration technology into course development can alleviate these problems, but only if the technology is easy to learn and supports a systems approach. In implementing a Web-based Technical Sketching course at Purdue University (Indiana), a systems approach was used to design, develop, and distribute the electronic course materials. The four-part systems model includes people, environment, processes, and technology. The first step is to identify the participants in the system; in this case, students and instructors are the receivers (customers) of the development effort. The environment consists of traditional sketching tools and access Web-enabled computers for the customers. Processes relative to the sketching course content include psychomotor, affective, and cognitive knowledge activities. Technology manifests itself in the form of Web-enabled computers, browser software, and printers for instructors and students. The course developer needs supporting electronic data files, HTML translation software, image mapping software, ftp software, and other specialty software. The combination of Microsoft NT or Windows 95 and the Web authoring aid FrontPage provides the technology components necessary to create and distribute Web-based instructional materials. The next step is for course developers to create and distribute customized learning environments that are visually rich and dynamic. A proposed"Just-In-Time-Training" (JITT) system would involve an Internet component comprised of user information services, a private intranet for class-specific information like grades and personal data, and a development area where the project testing and experimentation would reside. (AEF)

This paper describes the planning and implementation of a school-wide home page at California Lutheran University (CLU) (Thousand Oaks, California). A working team created a balanced web site which represents all areas of the CLU community. The Internet Task Force implemented general computing policies, standardized University home page design, selected and installed hardware and software, developed web publishing policies for community members, and provided training design and delivery. The main goals of CLUnet are to enhance the on-campus learning, research and communication environment at the University, and to present CLU in a favorable light for world-wide marketing purposes. The web server has changed the way users do research, learn about campus events and activities, review the undergraduate and graduate catalogs, and communicate with each other. Careful attention to design and implementation have contributed to CLUnet's success. (Author/SWC)

Saint Mary's College (Indiana) offers a minor program in computer science. The program's introductory computer science class traditionally taught Pascal. The decision to change the introductory programming language to C++ with an object oriented approach was made when it became clear that there were good texts available for beginning students. Many students do not begin their study of computer science with a strong ability to handle symbolic languages and abstraction. Students moving to the data structures course, which is taught using an object oriented paradigm, have found the paradigm shift difficult even without a change of programming language. Accomplishments and problems were experienced during the first two offerings of the revised class. The students enjoyed using C++ and appreciated the experience of a real world programming environment. From the student point of view, object oriented programming is just as "natural" as function oriented programming, and it was not difficult to implement the basic themes of the introductory computer science course using C++. Using C++ with objects in the introductory computer science course is effective, provides an experience needed in the market place, and has positive benefits for the rest of the computer science curriculum. The paper also describes the selection of an introductory textbook and compiler program. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/SWC)

Evaluating and selecting the appropriate software is a very important component of success in using multimedia systems in both educational and corporate settings. Computer-mediated multimedia (CMM) is the integration of two or more communication media, controlled or manipulated by the user via a computer, to present information. CMM can be combinations of text, images, animation, sound, color, and video in a single, computer- controlled presentation. The evaluation and selection of CMM systems may be different from computer-mediated instruction (CMI) systems. This paper seeks to explore the issues surrounding the evaluation of multimedia software and to present comprehensive criteria for evaluating and selecting CMM software for effective instruction, both general software evaluation criteria and specialized multimedia evaluation criteria. Issues considered for evaluating CMM software in the study include: content, instructional design, user interface, and documentation. The criteria for evaluation will provide a useful framework to help educators and/or trainers select quality instructional software for their instructional purposes. (Contains 30 references.) (SWC)

This bulletin summarizes the chief quantitative findings of a survey of 264 small and medium sized colleges and universities in the midwest concerning their use of and interest in academic scheduling software. This type of software assists in planning course offerings, assigning instructors and course functions to facilities and time slots, and modifying schedules to meet enrollment shifts and variance in facility needs. The findings are presented in five figures. Some of those findings are: (1) 72 percent of institutions judged personal computer compatibility "absolutely essential" or "very important"; (2) 33 percent of these gave like priority to Macintosh and/or UNIX compatibility; (3) less than 30 percent of small colleges currently use any scheduling software due to cost factors; (4) at prices below $5,000, 79 percent of responding institutions were at least "somewhat interested" in scheduling software; and (5) among the capabilities expected of such a program, most respondents expected course scheduling, master room scheduling, customized scheduling parameters, and override capability. (JB)

The Educational Technology Center and the Teacher Education Program at the SUNY College at Old Westbury (New York) used a cooperative approach to integrate computer technology into the teacher education curriculum and to train pre-service teachers how to use this technology successfully in the classroom. In 1989, the Teacher Education Program felt itself slow in entering the computer age; many faculty considered themselves computer illiterate. The faculty formulated a plan to remedy this situation by integrating technology across the teacher education curriculum, by not relying on specialized courses, and by finding a leader to implement the change. Software was purchased and a computer lab was dedicated to the program. Some faculty taught themselves about the technology and then volunteered to teach others. The Teacher Education Program also held a computer conference in 1993. Factors critical to the success of the cooperative effort include: (1) identifying a technology leader; (2) having the support of the faculty and administration; (3) using the clout of outside groups such as state agencies which mandate change; and (4) making support of computer use and literacy development part of the organization's mission. (Contains 17 references.) (AEF)

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. They also demonstrated various educational software written for literacy instruction and discussed ways to incorporate CAI into their literacy programs. The project's goals were met satisfactorily, with the exception of creating CAI implementation models, which participants chose not to do. The summary of participants' evaluations indicated that 83 percent rated the course excellent overall and 17 percent rated it very good. Participants were enthusiastic about using CAI with students; all programs reported they intended to offer CAI as part of their range of services. (Appendixes to the five-page report include the course outline, evaluation form, sample software evaluation checklist, sample CAI decision-making checklist, and CAI implementation model.) (YLB)

The primary purpose of this study is to highlight similarities and differences among 17 computer-assisted career guidance (CACG) systems so that practitioners, CACG system developers, policy makers, and researchers may make informed decisions concerning such systems. The CACG systems in the analysis are: (1) Career Information System; (2) Career Visions; (3) Choices: (4) Choices CT; (5) Choices Jr; (6) MODULAR C-LECT; (7) C-Lect Jr.; (8) COIN; (9) COIN Jr; (10) DISCOVER for Colleges and Adults; (11) DISCOVER for High Schools: (12) DISCOVER for Junior High and Middle Schools; (13) Guidance Information System Version 17; (14) GIS II; (15) SIGI PLUS; (16) VISIONS; and (17) VISIONS PLUS. The analysis looks at features including system content, user friendliness, and support materials and services available from the developer. It also looks at costs, such as system-specific costs, and constant costs that exist irrespective of the specific system used. A secondary purpose of the study is to provide a comprehensive description of the 17 systems included in this analysis by identifying state, territory, and city-specific availability of occupational information in the CACG systems and by identifying the country location, geographic data base origin, and language for each system. Eleven tables are included. Contains four pages of references. (Author/JE)

Building upon four previous planning documents for computing at College of DuPage in Illinois, this plan for fiscal year 1995 (FY95) provides a starting point for future plans to address all activities that relate to the use of information technology on campus. The FY95 "Information Technology Plan" is divided into six sections, each providing an overview, definition, and lists of major issues, goals, and recommendations. The sections of the report focus on: (1) the planning process, which describes four surveys (i.e., the Student, Faculty, Administrative Departmental, and Academic Departmental Surveys) used to gather information on the college's computing needs; (2) academic computing, including information on student and faculty computer usage, the equipment in student labs, and faculty and student recommendations; (3) administrative computing, including the information processing services of payroll, personnel, general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, purchasing, student registration and records, financial aid, inventory, word processing, and management information system; (4) central computing, including centralized support for hardware, software, and staffing in mainframe and departmental computing and support for the campuswide data networks supporting academic and administrative computing; (5) telecommunications, which describes a proposed system to improve voice, video, and data communications on campus; and (6) financial considerations, which estimates the cost of each recommendation in the previous sections, excluding the telecommunications plan. The bulk of the report consists of appendixes which include additional information on the college and the planning process, a list of the college's academic computing labs, a catalog of administrative applications, a list of department requested applications, and a financial worksheet. (KP)