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A preliminary study of alternative methods of organizing, managing, and financing computing at the nation's institutions of higher education is explored in the context of transactional analysis. The purpose and contents of the forthcoming final report (designed for university presidents) is described. The games, as intended and defined by the paper, concern themselves with what computing alternatives are considered and what ones are not considered, why they arose in the first place, and how the issue is resolved. The games described briefly in this paper are "Balance of Payments Games", "High Society Game", "Welfare and Proud Poor Game", "Faculty Power Game", and the "Godfather Game", among others. The goal of the paper is to help people understand the institutional dynamics involved in the selection of computing alternatives. (WH)

This paper examines some of the applications of computers in education, focusing on the political and people problems involved. Through this approach it is hoped that superintendents, principals, data processing specialists, and scholars might develop a better awareness and understanding of how to assess the use of computers in school systems. The paper demonstrates that computers in education must have specific and systematic objectives and be able to demonstrate better ways of allocating resources or making decisions. Planning for computers is also required, and both educational administrators and computer personnel must be aware of the political processes involved in introducing computers into school districts. An awareness that computers have serious consequences inthe politics of school districts should lead educational administrators and computer personnel to see a need to reexamine the assumptions of computers in education and perhaps increase the potential of computers in educational improvement. A bibliography is provided. (Author/DN)

This paper reviews the empirical research that has been done with computer assisted instruction (CAI) in an attempt to gain an overview that will allow the effectiveness of CAI to be evaluated. In the review, the area of CAI is divided into four basic modes: drill and practice, problem solving, tutorial, and simulation. Each mode is defined, and relevant research is discussed. A further section discusses research in applications involving a combination of the four basic modes. Briefly, the conclusions of the review were that CAI can be an effective instructional tool, that students generally learn more rapidly but retain less with CAI than with traditional methods, that CAI is more effective for low ability students than for middle and high ability students, and that both students and teachers are highly enthusiastic towards CAI as a means of instruction. (WDR)

The paper descibes a compact and highly efficient disk file management system responsible for the management and allocation of space on moving head disk drives in a medium-scale time-sharing system. The disk file management system is a major component of the Experimental Time-Sharing System (ETSS) developed at the Learning Research and Development Center. ETSS has been successfully operating for nearly two years and is a multilanguage general-purpose time-sharing system based on Digital Equipment Coporation's PDP-15. (Author)

Miami-Dade Community College has conducted an annual survey of its graduates for nearly a decade. In the past, the processing and tabulation of results were essentially manual operations. This paper describes a recently-developed computerized system which carries out most of the processing of this survey up through the tabulation of results. The entire system is shown in a series of five flow diagrams included in the appendix. Accompanying narrative descriptions of the flow charts further explain the specific operations necessary to key off an operational student records system, collect additional data, and tabulate the results. Diagram 1 shows the method of creating a work tape, which is then edited for errors and tailored to the specific needs of the graduate followup study. Diagram 2 shows the method of punching a deck of finder cards consisting of student identification numbers; this deck of cards ultimately becomes the reference list for the printing of mailing labels. Diagram 3 describes the mailout, remainder followup, and coding of returned questionnaires. Diagram 4 describes the updating of the Grad Bank tape, which contains data from all previous graduate followups conducted since the installment of the computerized system. Diagram 5 shows how the Grad Bank is utilized. (Author/DC)

Some examples of the usage of computers in teaching and learning are examination generation, automatic exam grading, student tracking, problem generation, computational examination generators, program packages, simulation, and programing skills for problem solving. These applications are non-trivial and do fulfill the basic assumptions necessary for education. These assumptions and goals are that the individual is of greatest importance, cost per pupil should be minimized, cheating is bad, the student should know what is expected of him, the normal curve is an inappropriate approach to grading, and cooperation should be encouraged. An item pool, known to all students, from which individual tests are generated would fulfill these conditions and lessen the fear of computers in many students' minds. (WH)

In four conference presentations newspaper librarians presented information about their photograph storage and retrieval operations. They discussed picture sources, selection and weeding, picture evaluation, picture quality, ways photos are used, filing methods, source books for illustrative material, file subject coding, ways of dealing with other newspaper staff members, photograph copying methods and technology, and labeling. Subjects which arose during a question and answer period included costs, personnel, oversize pictures, picture files in the library versus picture files in the newspaper's other departments, map files, microfilmed photo collections, electronic systems, and possibilities for computerized image storage. A bibliography on picture storage and retrieval is included, along with a list of illustration books. Two examples of photo subject headings with subheadings are provided, one on President Nixon and one on Vietnam. (LS)

Among the possible procedures and devices that can sharpen government sensitivity to the needs of citizens and provide for participation in the formulation of long-range public policy, interactive computers seem the most promising. Users could make computer-based explorations of future alternatives, and then provide policy makers with a sample of informed judgments. Feasibility and cost of such a program can be extrapolated from existing computer education projects. The direct participation facilitated by this system could have a dramatic, salutary effect on the society. (EMH)

The development of information systems is described with regard to the roles of the system user and the data processing specialist. Institutional needs are best served by coordination efforts, usually handled by a management systems office, which is also responsible for the maintenance and production of an institutional data element dictionary and a uniform code manual. Consideration must be given to production processes dealing with data and files, and their management must report at a high enough level in the organization to accomplish coordinated development at the institutional level between various administrative information systems. A model for a user's group is presented. (LBH)

Some of the major elements of administrative information systems design as applied to higher education are described. Differences between the application of computer technology in the commercial environment and the educational environment are discussed. The major steps in systems development from problem definition through implementation are defined, including the differences among production, research, and art-form types of systems development. Traditional horizontal and vertical systems integration techniques are presented and the complexity of interrelating operational data systems in higher education are noted. To give the administrator an appreciation of the need for management of the technical side of system development, modular file structures and table-driven software techniques are used as examples. The relatively new technique of data base management systems is also covered. One definition of management information systems is presented, and the need for closely coordinated and supporting operational data systems is stressed. (Author/LBH)

A task force was formed to facilitate resource sharing of computer services among Ontario universities. The long range objective was to make available to the universities computer services of the highest quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. Control and financing of the system had to be arranged first. Different system structures were considered before the process approach was selected in order to cope with the rapidly changing world of computer services. The facilitating structure recommended provided for: (1) computer services policy definition and identification of needs at both the institutional and system level; (2) a means of problem perception by analysis of appropriate information; (3) an incentive for institutions to get together to resolve perceived problems; (4) a mechanism for participatory development of detailed proposals and establishment of resource sharing agreements; (5) a means of review and assessment to ensure progress and effectiveness; (6) an environment which encourages initiative; (7) a lower threshold for participation; and (8) a mechanism for ensuring fair and equitable interinstitutional trade. (Author/WCM)

This report discusses SIGI, an operational example of a computer-based career guidance system. The system demonstrates that such a service can be performed well and at a cost within the reach of most schools. Data collected during the pilot trail indicate that students who had used SIGI were more aware of the career options open to them and the costs and risks associated with these options than students who had not used the system. SIGI is viewed not merely as a demonstration of computer-aided education, but more as a demonstration of how technology can be used to give students more control over their lives. The author sees the important feature of the system as its ability to respect the student's capacity to direct his own life and make his own decisions. (Author/PC)

CAIN is the computer cataloging and indexing system of the National Agricultural Library, a collection of information on agriculture and its related technologies. In this report is described the structure of the CAIN system and the various uses of the CAIN data bases. (WH)

The "Discredit" Bureau borrows some of the computerized information-processing techniques adopted by credit-reporting agencies and uses them in the interest of consumers to help them press complaints against suppliers and prospective employers. This is an additional service currently being incorporated into those already afforded by a computer-based voluntary information utility dedicated to community service. It is one phase of a continuing study "in vivo" of the potential role of computing and communications technology in community-wide information interchange. (Author)

The merits of networking and minicomputers in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) are reviewed. Cost figures for computer innovations and predictions about CAI are developed which include the forecast that costs will drop, minicomputers will dominate the market, and that the BASIC computer language will be the most widely used. (SK)

The 15-year history of the development of library automation is traced, and four major obstacles which had to be overcome are identified: the lack of funds for development, programing, and testing; the need for a common data base; the need for cooperative arrangements among institutions; and the need for widely-available on-line processing. Seven trends of the future are enumerated: minicomputers, turn-key systems, microwave and telecommunications satellites, large random-access computer stores, expanded data bases, cooperation, and national planning. (SK)

Many international standards have been developed to aid information transfer and feedback, but they must be updated and promoted. International Organization for Standards (ISO) technical committees dealing with terminology, documentation, and information processing have several programs designed to meet this need. Catalogs, indexes, and specialized centers provide some sources of information and guidance in the application of standards, and way are suggesed for furthering the application of standards in systems interconnection. (Author/CH)

A case study approach is used to document the on-line information system developed by the Office of Management Information and Computing at the University of Vermont. Stanford University's Project INFO On-Line Administration Information System, OASIS, was chosen as a model. The administrative system is one of two on campus, the other designed for academic use. Appendixes provide organization charts of the university and the Office of Management Information and Computing, a schematic diagram of the computer system, the current systems being used, the file structure, and examples of the use of the computer inquiry service, QUERY. (WH)

The introduction and diffusion of automatic computing facilities during the 1960's is reviewed; it is described as a time when research strategies in a broad variety of disciplines changed to take advantage of the newfound power provided by the computer. Several types of typical problems encountered by researchers who adopted the new technologies, together with the solutions adopted by the researchers, are described. It is shown how the local computing facility expanded to the centralized facility as a result of these problems; new types of needs and uses for computers continue to favor evolution and change. One result was the growth of large-scale computer networks. An alternative to established forms of networks--hierarchical computing systems--is suggested as providing better answers to more kinds of needs. The Minicomputer Interfacing Support System (MISS), developed at the University of Chicago, is briefly described as a prototype system allowing minicomputers to be used in a hierarchical system which would provide more powerful capabilities when they are needed. Finally, it is suggested that traditional attitudes of researchers toward computation facilities should be reevaluated, as new possibilities are being developed and made available. (WDR)

The computer center of the University of Iowa is the topic of this informal panel presentation. The present structure of the facility is described in terms of batch and remote terminal services. The job scheduling method used is shown to provide acceptable turn-around times, but usage is unexpectedly low, in spite of the low cost to student users. Plans for a large number of remote terminals are reviewed, and the allocation of terminals to departments within the university is described. Finally, a line drawing showing the interconnections between the main processor, the small minicomputers, and the remote terminals is provided. (WDR)

A methodology is described for an automatic design system initially defined in terms of logical processes or program modules. Processes and files are grouped and reorganized in such a way as to produce an optimal design with respect to a specific target machine. Performance criteria for the optimal design are defined in terms of transport volume savings and core memory requirements. Starting with a graph theoretic representation of the interaction between processes (or modules) and files, the methodology consists of two components: (1) a generator of feasible alternatives and (2) a procedure for reorganization and core generation for specific groupings. Not only can an optimal design for the processing system be generated; but due to reorganization techniques, the resultant modules (defined from specific process groupings) may approach the computational efficiency expected of an integrated program. (Author)

The state-of-the-art of hardware technology for computers in education is discussed. The choices that are available to the user, and the questions the user must ask himself before making a choice of computer hardware, are explored. An example of the costs of a central computer system for educational use is presented. (Author)

Data from a brief survey of current and potential uses of minicomputers in small educational institutions suggests that the principal role of minicomputers in such institutions will be for school administration and for teaching the use of computers. In the instructional area, emphasis should be placed on teaching (1) the potentials and significance of computer applications; (2) algorithmic problem solving skills; and (3) computer programing. Recommendations for minicomputer software to support such courses are given. (DGC)

This collection of ten conference reports begins with "Historical Impact of Computers on the Operation of Libraries and Information Systems: A Personal Perspective" and is followed by "Tips on Computer Software: Advantages and Methods of Program Dissemination" and "BLOCS--A Unique Multi-Dimensional Approach to On-Line Circulation". Next, libraries and computers are treated in "Mini-Computer Systems for Library Management Applications, A New Approach to Bibliographic Processing", "Project BALLOTS: A Progress Report on Library Automation", "The Information Retrieval Capabilities of the EPA, NERC Library in Cincinnati, Ohio", and "Managing the ERIC Data Base". Finally, the conference ended with the following reports: "Tender-Loving-Care in On-Line Searching", "Progress in Automatic Indexing and Prognosis for the Future", and "The Future of Interlibrary Communications". (WH)

The computer programing language APL is used to describe a "learning" game, and the functions developed are generalized to extend to a class of rules. (Author/WH)

The National Science Foundation financed a project enabling 10 small, nonresearch colleges to purchase minicomputers for academic and administrative use. The purpose of the study was to determine whether an owned minicomputer is a better investment for such small colleges than a time-sharing system or a cooperative arrangement. The colleges purchased Digital, Hewlett-Packard, or Data General computers and support hardware and software. The project, which began in 1970, is not finished, but preliminary results indicate that there is a great preference for the minicomputers, and that they have provided satisfactory services for much lower cost. The college found that one full-time person's effort was needed to operate and sustain the systems and that the 16-bit word length is preferred over the 12-bit. In addition, the computing capacity of the minicomputers was reasonably comparable to larger machines. (WH)

Provided in this report are substantive summaries of the papers presented and discussions held at the Spring 1973 conference convened by EDUCOM, the Interuniversity Communications Council. The general focus is upon issues and obstacles related to the development of national computer networks in higher education; these networks have become more and more necessary due to increases in both the contributions and the costs of computers. Part I of the report considers the general question of networking, with individual papers dealing with the kinds of networks needed, the development of a national science computer network, and computing resource networks from the buyer's and seller's perspectives. Part II treats networking for disciplinary users, with specific presentations reviewing applications in transportation, chemistry and chemical engineering, economics, business administration, and medicine. Part III covers national and regional networking. Separate chapters discuss: 1) the Advanced Research Projects Administration Network (ARPANET); 2) the relationship between the states and the universities; 3) network instructional aides; 4) the datacomputer, a network data utility; 5) Project MAC at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and 6) regional networks as a basis for national networks. (PB)

The Chemistry Department at the University of California, San Diego, has 35 members, 20 of whom are experimentalists with either computers or plans to acquire one. Within the department there are turn-key systems connected to mini-computers or the department computer, an IBM 1800. There is little control over computers in the department and little standardization. The campus computer center is in debt, and there is political pressure to make greater use of this center. With a short supply of research dollars, it is important to utilize local existing facilities to the greatest extent efficiency allows. The objectives to be achieved are to promote the innovative use of computers in chemistry, to enhance turn-key systems to greater capabilities, to provide a consistent level of systems support--both with hardware and software, and to utilize the campus computer center whenever possible. (WH)

Computing at Stanford University has, until recently, been performed at one of five facilities. The Stanford hospital operates an IBM 370/135 mainly for administrative use. The university business office has an IBM 370/145 for its administrative needs and support of the medical clinic. Under the supervision of the Stanford Computation Center are three facilities: ACME with a 360/50 to provide computer support for medical research, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) has a 360/91, and the campus facility tries to provide flexibility for general use with a 360/67. There have been moves toward changing the facilities and administrative structure of computing at the university. With separate computing support for the hospital, clinic, and medical research areas, it was proposed that these facilities be consolidated to form a central computer center for medical use. SLAC also needed an expansion of its facility. In April 1973, all facilities were unified under a central administration and soon there will be just two computer centers, one on campus and one at SLAC. (WH)

The increased computer capability at the University of Chicago challenges its Computation Center to generate demand by making the expanded capacity available in a broader, more effective way than has been done in the past. The new computing services must be of reasonable comparable quality to alternatives, but offered at lower marginal costs. The decision to expand services by purchasing compatable larger systems was made in 1973 by the University Board of Computing Activities and Services. It was decided that the marginal cost of wholesale acquisition of blocks of time from major centers off campus would be greater than the marginal cost of acquisition of the next larger system for the center. (WCM)

At a conference held at Stanford University in June 1973, 91 lawyers, law teachers, computer scientists, and other scholars gave presentations on major, computer-related developments and issues affecting the law. Following an introduction into some general aspects of computers, their role in society, and their potential for legal education, a series of papers was presented which focused upon three broad topics: (1) legal problems of computer use and production, (2) computer application to legal research and analysis, and (3) the role of law schools in advancing scholarship on issues of computers and society. Special attention was also given to potential curricular applications of computer technology in legal education. The appendixes include a description of programs currently sponsored by the National Science Foundation on computers and the law, selected papers from the small group workshops, and a list of steering committee and conference participants. (DGC)

The ninth annual EDUCOM conference developed its theme along four major lines: computing for research; computing for instruction; management information systems; and the allocation of computing resources. Papers in this volume address primarily the organizational and political considerations (Parts II, III, IV, and V), and technological/economic issues (Part VI) relevant to the utilization of computing and networking in higher education. (WCM)

Further developing a theme that has characterized several recent EDUCOM conferences, the 1974 EDUCOM Fall Conference focused on "Computing and Networks in Higher Education." Included in the conference program were papers and discussions on approaches to solving the organizational and financial problems of networking used in both the United States and Canada. The specific topical sections were: (1) national computing policies, (2) integrating CATV and computing instruction, (3) computers and the learning process, (4) networking for instruction, (5) management of systems and institutions, and (6) communication and innovation. (Author/DGC)

Proceedings of the EDUCOM 1974 Spring Conference are edited and collected under four topic headings related to questions of ever-tightening budgets and relationships between public institutions of higher education and state coordinating or governing boards. Aspects covered include the development of state-wide resources-sharing arrangements; the ways in which computing can be delivered; resource allocation within an institution; and computing for instruction. Addresses and papers are gathered into 21 subcategories of these four themes. Names and addresses of all conference participants are included in an appendix. (SK)

This document contains the papers presented at the 1966-67 annual midwinter meeting of the School and College Conference on English. The titles and authors are: "A Report on the Urban Language Study Project" by J. L. Dillard; "Creolized American English, Some Problems and Solutions" by Melvin J. Fox; "Recent Changes in American English" by Albert H. Marckwardt; "Authors on Campus" by Jerre Mangione; and "Computer Evaluation of Student Prose" by Arthur Daigon. Also included are the treasurer's report for 1966-67 and a proposed system of rotation for college representatives to the executive committee of the conference from 1966 to 1972. (JM)

The military utilizes tests extensively and should be aware of current testing problems. A conference composed of members from the business, educational, and military communities, both foreign and domestic, was held and these major issues addressed: (1) The Development of Training Requirements; (2) Personnel Assignment Using Interest Inventories; (3) Flight Simulators--Their Development and Value in Training; (4) Test Development; (5) New Test Types and Test Validation; (6) Performance Measurement and Statistical Methodologies; (7) Training Methodologies; (8) Occupational Analysis in the Military Establishments; (9) Using Test Results in the Training Process; (10) Computer Assisted Training and Testing; (11) Personnel Assessment; (12) Management and Measurement Problems; (13) The Care and Feeding of Test Constructors; and (14) Evaluating Job Proficiency. Issues of public policy, vocational advancement, peer and preceptor ratings, student evaluations, problem identification, classification procedures, and licensing innovations were included in the general sessions. (BJG)

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that representations of numbers other than positional notation may lead to practical hardware realizations for the digital calculation of classes of algorithms. It is the authors' opinion that practicality of the use of continued products has been demonstrated. This paper describes current research in the use of continued fractions. Although practicality has not been demonstrated, theoretical results are promising, and the results thus far are presented as a case study of the difficulties which arise when use of a new representation is attempted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The principal purpose of this paper is to illustrate how some well known algorithms have been programmed on a specific vector computer, the CDC STAR-100. The main thesis is that the extensive repertoire of programs devised for conventional machines can be transferred effectively to a vector computer, though the detailed implementation will generally not follow that of a conventional machine. This means, that efficient use of STAR, for example, will not have to wait on the development of new algorithms, but can be realized with those already at hand. Indeed, most lead to much shorter programs on STAR than on conventional computers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we discuss directed roundings and indicate how hardware might be designed to produce proper upward-directed, downward-directed, and certain commonly used symmetric roundings. Algorithms for the four binary arithmetic operations and for rounding are presented, together with proofs of their correctness; appropriate formulas for a priori error analysis of these algorithms are presented. Some of the basic applications of directed roundings are surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A set of standards for the design of the arithmetic unit of all general purpose digital computers has been proposed. This paper discusses that proposal and suggests that such standards are not now in the best interest of either the computer industry or the computer user. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for evaluation of certain elementary functions on a digital computer by the use of continued fractions. The time required for this evaluation is drastically reduced by using “short” operations like shift and add, instead of multiplications. Consistency is the most important factor that allows the expansion of a function into a continued fraction. Several cases are discussed and in particular the solution of the quadratic equation is discussed in more detail to demonstrate the convergence of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The precision required for residue operations is primarily associated with resistive components and operational amplifiers. However, technology has advanced to the point that analog components can be built to an accuracy of less than one tenth of one percent (at least with discrete components). Companies are attempting to build DAC'S with fifteen (15) bit accuracy which will settle to the least significant bit in one hundred (100) nanoseconds. None are commercially available but seven or eight bit DAC's with settling times on the order of one hundred (100) nanoseconds are not uncommon. Sixteen (16) bit ADC's have been announced recently as a result of new analog components. It is not uncommon to find operational amplifiers on the market with gain bandwidth products in excess of one hundred fifty (150) megahertz and linearities on the order of one tenth of one percent. One can also find analog voltage comparators (such as the Motorola MC1650) which has a hysteresis of ten millivolts and a switching speed of less than two nanoseconds. Shotkey diodes have been introduced which allow transistors to switch in less than one and one-half nanoseconds, and manufacturers have learned to build both active and passive components to a tolerance of less than one-tenth of one percent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

About the time that Athens and Sparta were destroying each other, the Romans developed a numbering system which was to be used by the entire civilized world for the next thousand years. It served well for counting. Addition and subtraction were performed with some difficulty. Multiplication and division were impossible. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]