Collegiate Microcomputer

"The Encyclopedia of Microcomputers serves as the ideal companion reference to the popular Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology. Now in its 10th year of publication, this timely reference work details the broad spectrum of microcomputer technology, including microcomputer history; explains and illustrates the use of microcomputers throughout academe, business, government, and society in general; and assesses the future impact of this rapidly changing technology."

The NATO workshop ''Knowledge acquisition in the domain of physics and intelligent learning environments" was held in Lyon, France, July 8-12, 1990. A total of 31 researchers from Europe (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and the U. K. ), the U. S. A. , and Japan worked together. This proceedings volume contains most of the contributions to the workshop. The papers show clearly the main directions of research in intelligent learning environments. They display a variety of points of view depending on the researcher's own background even when a single domain of teaching, namely physics, is considered. We acknowledge the assistance of Michael Baker, who was responsible for reviewing the English of the contributions. February 1992 Andree TIberghien Heinz Mandl Table of Contents Introduction 1 1. Teaching Situations and Physics Knowledge Introductory University Courses and Open Environment Approaches: The Computer as a Multi-role Mediator in Teaching/Learning Physics 5 E. Balzano, P. Guidoni, M. Moretti, E. Sassi, G. Sgueglia Practical Work Aid: Knowledge Representation in a Model Based AI System 21 J. Courtois Simultaneous Processing of Different Problem Aspects in Expert Problem Solving: An Analysis in the Domain of Physics on the Basis of Formal Theories of Commonsense Knowledge 35 A. Hron Modelis: An Artificial Intelligence System Which Models Thermodynamics Textbook Problems 47 G. Tisseau 2. Different Approaches to Student Modelling Steps Towards the Formalisation of a Psycho-logic of Motion 65 J. Bliss, J.

Advances in Computers

by Donald J. Albers ix INTRODUCTION In July of 1984 the first national conference on mathematics education in two-year colleges was held at Menlo College. The conference was funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Two-year colleges account for more than one-third of all undergraduate enrollments in mathematics, and more than one-half of all college freshmen are enrolled in two-year colleges. These two facts alone suggest the importance of mathematics education in two-year colleges, particularly to secondary schools, four-year colleges, and universities. For a variety of reasons, four-year colleges and universities are relatively unaware of two-year colleges. Arthur Cohen, who was a participant at the "New Directions" conference warns: "Four-year colleges and universities ignore two-year colleges at their own peril." Ross Taylor, another conference participant, encouraged two-year college faculty to be ever mindful of their main source of students--secondary schools- and to work hard to strengthen their ties with them. There are many other reasons why it was important to examine two-year college mathematics from a national perspective: 1. Over the last quarter century, rio other sector of higher education has grown so rapidly as have two-year colleges. Their enrollments tripled in the 60's, doubled in the 70's, and continue to increase rapidly in the 80's. x 2. Twenty-five years ago, two-year colleges accounted for only one-seventh of all undergraduate mathematics enrollments; today the fraction is more than one-third.

This book is based on the workshop that kickstarted the NATO Science Committee Special Programme on Advanced Educational Technology. We invited the leaders in the field to attend this inaugural meeting and were delighted by the quality of the attendance, the papers delivered at the workshop and this book. Many of the authors have subsequently run other meetings funded by the Special Programme and have, or are in the process of, editing books which focus on particular topics. This book covers all the major themes in the area ranging from fundamental theoretical work to empirical studies of state of the art technological innovations. Tim O'Shea chaired the NATO Survey Group which planned the Programme and the subsequent Panel which disbursed funds in the first two years of the Programme. He would like to thank the other group and panel members, namely, Professor N Balacheff, Professor D Bjomer, Professor H Bouma, Professor P C Duchastel, Professor A Dias de Figueiredo, Dr D Jonassen and Professor T Liao. He would like to offer his special thanks to Dr L V da Cunha the NATO Programme Director for his unfailing support and patience. Eileen Scanlon was the Director of the Workshop which is the basis of this book. She offers heartfelt thanks to the contributors and to the following who provided practical help with the meeting or the production of this book: Mrs Pauline Adams, Dr Mike Baker, Mrs Kathy Evans, Mrs Patricia Roe, Mr Dave Perry and Ms Fiona Spensley.