Explaining different types of computer use among primary school teachers

In order to identify differences in determinants of supportive and class use of computers, path modelling was applied in a sample of 468 primary school teachers. Independent variables were categorised in three levels: demographics (age and gender), computer experience (computer training, computer experience expressed over time, intensity of computer use), and attitude measures (general computer attitudes, attitudes toward computers in education, and technological innovativeness). Supportive and class use of computers are not related to the same set of variables. Supportive computer use was mainly predicted by computer experience variables and general computer attitudes. Strongest predictors of class use were technological innovativeness and gender. Yet, the degree of explained variance for class use of computer was considerably lower compared to supportive computer use. These results indicate the limitations of explaining complex forms of professional computer use on the basis of both individual determinants and quantitative models. The article concludes with some practical implications and recommendations for further research.     

Gender-related differences in exposure to and use of computers: Results of a survey of secondary school students

A number of empirical studies on the use of computers reveals gender-related differences, with women and girls showing more negative feelings toward modern computer technology. Within the scope of an evaluation study of the pilot project “CULAS” (Computer Assisted Learning in Secondary Schools in Rhineland-Palatinate) the data of over 1000 students from grades 5 to 10 were analyzed with special focus on gender-related differences. The results of this study provide information on the following aspects: frequency and duration of computer use, computer experiences, computer interests, attitudes toward computers, emotional responses while working with computers, and locus of control. On a whole the results support the assumption of gender-related differences in exposure to and use of computers. However, these findings also indicate that this assumption may not hold true in a general sense, and that future studies must examine gender-related differences with more sophisticated methods.     

The Fifth Generation and training strategies*

Fifth Generation computers should not simply be regarded as an enhancement of current computer technology: the intention is that a fresh approach should be taken to computer science and to the use of computers. The argument of this paper is that the fresh approach must encompass education and training, with implications that extend far beyond the simple use of computers.     

Student‐teachers’ Use of Computers during Teaching Practice in Primary Classrooms

It is argued that teacher readiness is crucial to the realisation of national goals for educational computer use and that the preparation of student teachers can make an important contribution. This study investigated student‐teachers’ dispositions towards computers and their use of computers in primary‐school classrooms during a final‐year practicum. The student teachers generally viewed computers positively but lacked confidence in their knowledge of computers. While they were nervous about using computers in classrooms, almost two‐thirds did use a computer at least once during a four‐week practicum and were more likely to do so if the supervising teacher modelled such use. The most frequently experienced problems in using computers were organisational. Based on the findings of this study it is suggested that preservice courses should focus on the pedagogical issues associated with computer use and they should provide students with opportunities to observe and practise classroom computing.     

Effect of computer interfaces on chemistry problem solving among various ethnic groups: A comparison of Pen-Point and Powerbook computers

This study investigated the effect of Pen-Point and Powerbook computers on solving a multiple step chemistry (molaritý) problem among White, Afro-American and Hispanic students (N=60) at the high school level. The screens on both computers were partitioned into a work field and a reasoning field. Both computers were programmed to record the time spent in each field, the number of entries made, and a copy of the entries made. Statistical analysis of data showed that more of the White and Afro-American Pen-Point computer users solved the problem correctly than did students using the Powerbook computer. All three ethnic groups made fewer entries, and took less time using the Pen-Point computer than the Powerbook. Attitude survey results of all ethnic groups showed that more Pen-Point computer users felt comfortable working with computers. Over all, the results suggest that the Pen-Point computer has a more positive effect on the problem solving performance and attitude of students towards computers than the Powerbook computer.     

Relationship between gender identity,perceived social support for using computers,and computer self-efficacy and value beliefs of undergraduate students

This study investigated relationship between gender identity, social support for using computers and computer self-efficacy and value beliefs. Data was collected from first year undergraduate students at a university near Bangkok (72.3 % females, mean age?=?18.52 years). The respondents in our survey did not intend to major in computer sciences. Results show parental and peer support for using computers were positively associated with computer self-efficacy and value beliefs for both males and females. Gender typicality was positively associated with the level of computer self-efficacy for males and personal endorsement of gender-stereotypes was negatively associated with the level of computer self-efficacy for females. Students who responded “yes” to whether they would pursue employment in a job that may require them to work with computers reported significantly higher computer self-efficacy and value for using computers than students who responded “no” or “undecided”. Gender role socialization and expectancy-value theories are used to interpret group differences in computer self-efficacy and value beliefs.     

MAXIMIZING COMPUTER USE AMONG THE ELDERLY IN RURAL SENIOR CENTERS

Two prominent trends are simultaneously occurring in our society today: the aging of our population and an increased reliance on computers. Through a federal grant, Iowa Legal Aid provides computers in 85 rural senior citizen centers across Iowa to foster increased knowledge about program services for the elderly and to enhance their social connectedness with others through e-mail. To understand the attitudes of rural elderly toward computers, focus groups were held with two groups in the community senior centers. The results identified strategies that are necessary if seniors are to maximize the use of computers available to them. This article has three purposes: (1) to review the literature regarding computer usage among the elderly; (2) to describe the findings of focus groups held with elderly; and (3) to identify strategies to enhance computer use in senior citizen centers and maximize the connectivity of elders in their communities.     

Round girls in square computers:

What is the first step beyond this dreaming activity? Understanding where future research in this area could move is an excellent extension of this work. Is the distancing experienced by girls’ interactions with computer software oozing beyond the borders of the screen, beyond what is inside the computer? Might it be that the distancing is also a function of the external manifestation of the computer itself the way it looks on the outside? We don’t know how important the physical structure of the computer is. This is an area worthy of more rigorous research. Our work focuses on the actual, unalterable hardware facets of computers from the late 1990’s the outside 6 and suggests alternative constructions that might make computers more approachable for and appealing to girls. But we don’t know if indeed such computers would be more appealing, nor do we know what the interest or impact of more essentialized recent computers such as the Barbie and Hot Wheels computers are. Rigorous qualitative research into the adoption tendencies and impact on gender relations of the introduction of such essentialized products needs to be accomplished. The original design of the computer was based not on marketing needs or perceptions, nor on progressive concepts of equity, but rather on functionality for those who created the hardware itself. As a result, it is likely to be quite appealing to the designers, but may be less so to those who were outside this creative process. The importance of resting the design decisions with users has been the subject of several important texts on developing computer systems including Norman’s Design of Everyday Things (1988) and also Schuler & Namioka’s Participatory Design: Principles and Practices (1993).     

高职院校计算机文化基础课程个性化教学的实现

计算机文化基础是高职院校非计算机专业的一门计算机基础课程,属计算机方面的入门课程。通过本课程的学习,学生较系统地了解计算机的基本知识和常用的微机操作技术,提高计算机文化素质,为今后进一步的专业学习打下良好的基础,适应未来发展的需要。不同专业的学生对计算机基础的能力要求是不同的,学生基础水平的差异比较大,教学过程中教师应该根据不同的学生能力水平和专业需求实行个性化教学,制定个性化的培养方案。     

Comprehensive Object-Oriented Learning – An Introduction

With the proliferation of personal computers in the home and in the workplace, there is an ever increasing demand for the integration of computers into the curricula of educational institutions. Invariably, the approach taken to satisfying such demands involves the training of the current staff of educators in the use of personal computers as both a teaching and a research and administrative tool. This article will look at the educator's anxiety prior to training on the computer, and the changes in attitude brought about by continuous exposure to the computer in a classroom setting.     

加强高校工资管理人员计算机应用能力

随着计算机技术的飞速发展,使人们认识到计算机应用水平的高低,给管理工作带来截然不同的效果。本文认真分析了用好计算机在高校工资管理中的重要性并提出了具体办法。     

Deaf persons and computer use

Deaf person's computer use was studied (N = 227). Respondents self-administered a survey in their preferred language (voice, American Sign Language, captions, or printed English). A small nonparticipant sample was also recruited. Demographics were consistent with those in other studies of deaf people: 63% of respondents reported computer use, mostly at home; 50% of nonparticipants reported computer use. Subjects with hearing loss due to meningitis were less likely to use computers (p = .0004). Computer use was associated with English usage at home (p = .008), with hearing persons (p = .002), and with physicians and nurses (p = .00001). It was also associated with the use of Signed English as a child to communicate (p = .02), teacher use of Signed English (p = .04), and teacher use of ASL (p = .03). Two thirds of respondents reported using computers, though nonresponder data suggested less use among all deaf persons. Computer use was associated with English use and inversely associated with hearing loss due to meningitis.     

Computer Literacy as Ideology

Some of the most prominent policies in schools throughout the industrialized world today relate to the rapid introduction of computers. The most common rationale for introducing educational microcomputing is the concept of ‘computer literacy’. It is a concept, however, which is so poorly defined and delineated, and so unclear as to purpose and procedure, that it may best be investigated as a form of ideology. The justificatory arguments for computers in classrooms are primarily vocational or practical. They are based on assumptions that computers will be pervasive in the workplace of the future, or that they are soon going to be ‘everywhere’. The more purely pedagogical arguments are secondary: that learning about computers is a worthwhile experience in and of itself, and that computers can be useful productivity tools for other academic work. Drawing upon empirical evidence from an evaluation of computer use in two Canadian high schools, this paper shows how a critical treatment of computer literacy as ideology raises important issues about the computerization of education. It suggests that educators should question whether they have simply taken the ideology of computer literacy at face value, and whether this almost universal policy has received the critical attention it deserves.     

The study of surface computer supported cooperative work and its design,efficiency, and challenges

In this study, a Surface Computer Supported Cooperative Work paradigm is proposed. Recently, multitouch technology has become widely available for human–computer interaction. We found it has great potential to facilitate more awareness of human-to-human interaction than personal computers (PCs) in colocated collaborative work. However, other studies and modern operating systems have rarely been concerned with colocated interactions in their user interface (UI) design. Therefore, one UI framework, which we have named Surface Application Framework (SAF), is proposed to support multitouch and multiuser applications on tabletop computers. To explore the effects of wide area SAFs on colocated collaboration, one application, capable of making English sentences, was developed based on an SAF. This application was used to conduct a user-centric study to investigate differences between surface computers and PCs. The results show that a surface computer performs better than a PC in creating awareness during collaborative work, but it requires more time due to its poor performance with drag-and-drop operations. Finally, this study summarizes a three-dimensional design approach to consider various trade-offs between awareness and manipulative performances. Additionally, some mechanisms are suggested to be employed to overcome the weakness of drag-and-drop operations with multitouch interfaces in a future study.     

Computer experiences and attitudes of Japanese pharmacy students

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the computer experiences and attitudes of first- and fourth-year Japanese pharmacy students. An existing questionnaire that asked questions about computer hardware and software owned, reported level of expertise with software applications, attitudes and concerns about computers, and demographic information was translated into Japanese. After ensuring the accuracy of the translation, first- and fourth-year pharmacy students completed the survey. This study found that most of these Japanese pharmacy students did not frequently use computers. About one-quarter of the students owned a home computer. Slightly more than 10% of the students reported that they could use word processing programs. Their attitudes about computers were positive. Most stated that they should possess basic computer skills when graduating from pharmacy school. The students also indicated that they would rather learn from computers than attend lectures or read texts or journals. However, 63 first-year (32%) and 45 fourth-year (43.7%) students said that microcomputers were too complicated for them to use     

Project Comptown: educational intervention and action research

The introduction of computers into education raises questions such as: are computers in education effective? If they are, in what sense? What are the most effective strategies for using computers in education? How should teachers be encouraged to use them?
To answer these questions a large-scale experiment (Project Comptown) was carried out in Israel, to test ways and means under real rather than laboratory conditions. This project is a research-oriented educational intervention, applying massive computerisation of schools and their 'close environment' to two localities in Israel (Arad and Ashkelon). Our starting point was the premise that computerisation of education is an inevitable process. Consequently, turning the computer into a 'cultural tool' in schools becomes a major challenge, aiming to narrow the gap between 'school culture' and 'real-world culture'. The main objectives for Project Comptown are: [1] To create a computer culture in schools; [2] To use the computer's potential for innovative teaching and learning, both inside and outside schools. To achieve these, we identified a number of principles which we considered pre-conditions for an 'appropriate' computer strategy in schools.     

Teachers' computer anxiety: implications for professional development

Changes in society's expectations mean that school teachers need to be able to use computers in education with minimal anxiety. Some 350 primary and secondary school teachers completed a questionnaire that identified sources of computer anxiety and provided teachers with the opportunity to suggest solutions. The teachers were very supportive of the use of computers in education, but reported moderately low levels of computer competence. A number of suggestions for the reduction of computer anxiety are made, based on teachers' first-hand accounts, and an analysis of trends in the quantitative data. The implications of these suggestions for teachers' professional development are explored     

Gender Differences in Computer-related Control Beliefs and Home Computer Use

This study explores gender differences in home computer use and control beliefs relative to being able to use computers. Perceived control of computer usage was measured in 152 Grade 8 Norwegian students. One group of students ( n = 58) had no computer training and did not use computers at school. In this group, males were found to have greater perceived control of the computer as well as greater confidence in own success, compared with females. Another group of students ( n = 94) had computer training in school. No gender differences were found in this group. The results are discussed in terms of sex stereotypes and the impact of computer training.     

Editorial

The preparation of science teachers to integrate computers in their teaching seems to be a challenging task, and teacher educators need to undertake systematic and coordinated efforts for effectively preparing teachers to teach with computers. The present study implemented a professional development approach for in‐service science teachers regarding the pedagogical uses of computers in teaching and learning, and examined its effectiveness. The results showed that the approach was effective in adequately preparing science teachers to design computer‐enhanced learning with various computer applications. Specifically, the majority of the teachers who participated in the study selected appropriate science topics to be taught with computers, transformed science content with appropriate computer tools and computer‐supported representations, identified computer‐supported teaching tactics, and integrated their computer‐enhanced activities in the classroom with inquiry‐based pedagogy. The results of the study provide baseline data about the effectiveness of the approach, and they can be used for comparison purposes in future studies, which may be conducted with the intention of further validating or even improving the suggested professional development approach.     

An ecological perspective on research with computers in science education

This paper presents an “ecological perspective” on research with computers in science education. It is proposed that current and past research within the computer education field has been characterised by an over-emphasis on technical applications of the machinery, rather than a deeper consideration of the teaching and learning process. This tendency toward “technocentric thinking” has usually failed to take into account the important social and cognitive interactions within the computer learning environment. The view advanced here, is that an understanding of the effects of computers on students' learning can be achieved only through an analysis of the dynamic interactions between students and teachers as they work with computers in a particular environment. A theoretical framework for understanding this range of interactions is presented. Finally, an ecological model is proposed for conducting future research on the application of computers in science education. Specializations: information technology in education, science education, technology education, environmental education, and media education