Got the S.A.T. jitters? Software to the rescue

Article Abstract:

CD-ROMs that prepare users for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) offer a range of complexity, from products that use artificial intelligence to analyze answers to those that teach ways to outsmart the test. The Learning Co's Score Builder prompts students to explain why they chose a particular answer. It also analyzes answers to find behavior patterns, then generates more practice tests that address problem areas. Davidson & Associates' Your Personal Trainer for the SAT analyzes results from a practice test and assigns drills in areas where students perform poorly. The Kaplan Educational Center's SAT Roadtrip 96 not only drills students on problem areas, it also evaluates test-taking strategies. The program will notify students when they are taking too long to answer a question or show a tendency to change their answers from right to wrong and vice versa. The Princeton Review's Inside the SAT is based on the premise that the SAT is unfair and teaches users ways to predict the correct answers.

Prepackaged software, Educational Software Pkgs, Evaluation, Product/Service Evaluation, Product information, Educational software, Software multiproduct review, Learning Company Inc., Princeton Review Inc., Davidson and Associates Inc. (Torrance, California), LRNG, Educational Training Software, Score Builder for the SAT (Educational training software), The Princeton Review Inside the SAT (Educational training software), Kaplan Inc., Cliffs Notes Inc. Cliffs StudyWare Inc., Your Personal Trainer for the SAT (Educational training software), Kaplan Roadtrip 96 (Educational training software), Cliffs StudyWare for the SAT I (Educational training software)

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At the National Archives, technology's flip side

Article Abstract:

The National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) discovers that keeping history on high-tech products does not always keep it accessible. NARA has CD-ROMs that were touted as protecting information for 100 years that are decaying after only 10 years. A 15-year-old electromagnetic tape melts as it plays on a drive that spins 10 times more rapidly than older models. NARA handles four to five billion Federal documents, with information that contains the history of the US. NARA is in the process of of an indexing project that will give the agency a better idea of exactly what materials it has and where they are located. NARA also has on line offerings for genealogical research, the daily Federal Register and popular still photographs. NARA currently chooses to record all electromagnetic materials on 3480 data tape, a product it believes has the durability and popularity to be available in 10 years.

US Information Agency, Case studies, Information services, Information resources management, United States. National Archives and Records Administration, Information accessibility

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In age of e-mail, a computer snail; State Department's technology is far from state of the art

Article Abstract:

The computer systems in the U.S. Dept of State are outdated and have interoperability problems that frequently cause problems for the department staff. There is no Internet access, there is no remote access to databases, electronic mail can not be transmitted to other Federal agencies and users rely primarily on 15-year-old Wang systems. Another problem is that the system in the State Dept's headquarters is often not compatible with the systems being used in the 266 embassies in other countries. The system is also prone to crashes when there is a heavy work load such as when the department is preparing for a presidential summit or composing an international treaty. The department is planning to apply for federal funds of about $35 million per year over five years in order to update the system.

Dept of State, MIS, Management information systems, United States. Department of State, Administrative agencies, Government agencies

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