Students today are often assumed to be digitally literate and prepared for college, but that is not always the case. Introductory technology courses at the college level provide students with the technology and digital skills necessary for them to succeed in college. This study, conducted at a small New England "business school" that…

This intervention study aimed to test the effect of writing process feedback. Sixty-five Grade 10 students received a personal report based on keystroke logging data, including information on several writing process aspects. Participants compared their writing process to exemplar processes of equally scoring (position-setting condition) or…

Too often our students submit incomplete homework that is disorganized, unclear, and nonlinear. Typesetting with LATEX, although time consuming for those new to the software, strengthens communication by forcing organization and proper notation required by the precise, formal language of mathematics. In this manuscript we report on a study of 42…

This study examined whether or not fourth-graders could fully demonstrate their writing skills on the computer and factors associated with their performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) computer-based writing assessment. The results suggest that high-performing fourth-graders (those who scored in the upper 20 percent…

This guide provides a detailed evaluation form, together with complete instructions for using it, which is designed to elicit answers to the following questions: (1) What features and abilities does a specific word processing program have? (2) On which computer(s) will the program work? (3) Is additional hardware/software necessary before the…

This paper arises out of a research study into the online help facilities provided in popular software applications such as word processors. Its particular focus is on experimental methods of evaluating the effectiveness and usability of those facilities. Focus groups, questionnaires, and online surveys had already been used in other phases of the…

A survey of 287 staff developers was conducted during October 1986 to gather information on the use of computers in staff development offices. Questionnaires were mailed to every fifth member of the National Staff Development Council; 92 completed instruments were returned within one month for a return rate of 32%. Areas covered by the survey…

Assesses surveys of college writing teachers using computers in their composition courses. Results show little consensus in equipment or methods, but indicate that all teachers are positive about the computer's potential as a teaching and writing tool. The questionnaire is appended. (AEW)

Describes a teaching technique that uses word processing software to automate the process of providing feedback about psychology assignments in a microcomputer-based laboratory course. Automation of the feedback process is explained, benefits to students and instructors are discussed, and student reactions are reported. (six references) (LRW)

A study was undertaken to explore whether students using an advance organizer-metacognitive learning strategy would be less anxious, more self-directing, more efficient, and more self-confident when learning unknown computer applications software than students using traditional computer software learning strategies. The first experiment was…

Preparing the final report for an evaluation project often involves preparation of lengthy tables. To prevent persons from having to retype the data already in a mainframe file and then verify the data, the Evaluation and Assessment Laboratory of the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) uses a simple procedure that entails: (1) formatting the output…

Parallel Alternative Strategies for Students (PASS) is a content-centered package of alternative methods and materials designed to assist secondary teachers to meet the needs of mainstreamed learning-disabled and emotionally-handicapped students of various achievement levels in the basic education content courses. This supplementary text and…

Describes students' reactions to and comments on an experimental writing course in which all essays were composed on computer terminals using XEDIT and WATERLOO SCRIPT. Students had favorable reactions to revision ease and enjoyability factor, but reacted unfavorably to learning word processing, equipment failure, and confinement to one writing…

Intended to serve as a guide to the development of basic computer competencies for students in teacher preparation programs or as inservice training for teachers, this primarily self-instructional manual provides basic information, worksheets, computer programs, and hands-on learning activities for 16 proficiencies related to computer literacy.…

This book enables educators at the elementary level to conduct formative evaluations of their technology programs in minimum time. Most of the technology is computer related, including word processing, graphics, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, databases, instructional software, programming, and telecommunications. The design of the book is aimed…