Date of Award

12-1988

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Computer Science

First Advisor

Dr. Dionysios Kountanis

Second Advisor

Dr. Donna Kaminski

Third Advisor

Dr. Marianne Johnson

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

There has recently been an intensive effort on the part of school systems, administrators, teachers, and parents to bring computers into everyday classroom use. Yet, to a large degree, this effort has proceeded without appropriate planning about just how computers can best be used and integrated into the curriculum.

This study focuses on how an independent elementary school with a minimum of resources went about the process of integrating computer usage in the fifth grade, the steps required for integration and for continued student use of computers in the school. Computer usage was introduced as part of the writing classes of two fifth grades with experimental and control groups. Worthwhile integration was achieved with teacher interest across grade levels. Though no statistical evidence that computer usage affected the quality of writing was found, the teachers reported that computer usage had a positive effect on student compositions.

Share

COinS