Online Teaching Aids from the Department of Information Science, University of Sheffield, England

Four simulations of online services have been produced by students of the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield; FOSSILS, a simulation of Lockheed Dialog; BLAISERS, a simulation of BLAISE MARC information retrieval, editing MUTE, a simulation of BLAISE MEDLINE, and SSDC, a simulation of SDC. These have proved valuable in teaching use of a keyboard, basic commands and more advanced techniques. Written in BASIC, the programs have been transferred successfully to a wide range of computers including microcomputers, in several countries.