Presents three general professional concerns to help teachers ride the third wave of computer technology, and three forms of CAI to enhance the recursive cycle of their students' writing. (CRH)

Discusses the potential of microcomputers for accomplishing educational goals beyond drill and practice software. Describes a program in which students have access to a computer-based network that connects classrooms in four states, which allows peer response, develops a sense of audience, and gives students greater control over their literacy…

Six articles discuss the role of computers in family life and gifted education. Papers address the importance of computer technology approaches for developing and implementing computer programs, applications for independent thinking and problem-solving skills with gifted children, word processing with gifted primary students, and use of color…

Describes how teachers can use computer programs to combine the systematic coverage of a writing class with the individualization of a writing workshop. (MM)

Raises issues connected to the new teaching problems that accompany using computers in writing classrooms. Discusses three general categories: difficulties in transferring successful practices; difficulties in expanding successful practices; and difficulties in simply understanding which teaching practices may turn out to be successful. (MG)

Discussion of the use of text analysis software by basic writers in college courses focuses on a study conducted in 1982-83 at Colorado State University that investigated the benefits of using the Writer's Workbench software in a basic writing program. Data are reported on holistically scored writing samples, editing quizzes, and student…

Examines how technology can support elementary school writer's workshops, noting the nature of the writer's workshop and exploring how word processing and desktop publishing programs can help nurture developing writers. The article presents several ways teachers can use computers in writer's workshops (drafting and revising, writing mechanics,…

Provides a review of some of the main issues covered in research on writing, and indicates where this research may be found. Discusses the nature of writing, learning to write, computers and writing, and evaluating written products. (PRA)

Study examined the impact of word processing on sixth graders' writing and revision skills. Students used pencil and paper or word processors, or both, to write and revise compositions. There were significant revision differences. Word processing students corrected more and made fewer errors. Overall writing quality did not differ significantly.…

This article discusses the advantages of using computer-assisted composing (CAC) to teach composition to elementary and secondary school students with learning problems. It also describes the effects of CAC on student writing and offers several caveats for teachers who plan to use CAC in their classrooms. (JDD)

Provides a list of recent publications that review text management software which runs on IBM PCs and compatibles. Software functions covered include online searching of databases; information storage and retrieval; word processing; and computer-assisted instruction for retrieving online information. (LRW)

A study involving 106 elementary and secondary students with learning disabilities and 97 typical peers found that students who used spelling and grammar checkers were more successful than transition group students in reducing mechanical errors, particularly non-real-word spelling errors, and in making positive changes from first to final drafts.…

Argues that writing teachers should seize the initiative and design pedagogically appropriate issues for word-processing technology. Proposes a strategy for designing and employing usage checkers to improve sentence-level fluency. Discusses research on usage checkers, sentence-level revision, and instructor intervention. Offers suggestions on…

Describes a study of elementary school children that examined computer use in the home and at school. Highlights include frequency of activities; playing games on home computers; word processing at school; gender differences; and negative impact of school use of computers and positive impact of home computer use on attitudes toward computers. (LRW)

A study determined the effectiveness of using a computer word processor as compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil method for process story writing. Students in a first-grade classroom in the Mark Gardiner Hoyle Elementary School located in Swansea, Massachusetts, were randomly divided into a control group of 12 students and an experimental…