Examines the navigational profiles of 42 undergraduate students processing a hypertext document. Three profiles emerged: (1) knowledge seekers, (2) feature explorers, and (3) apathetic hypertext users. Results indicate that students who are interested in computers and hypertext but who don't possess relevant amounts of domain knowledge aligned…

Investigated the attitudes and opinions of students in grades five through 12 with and without learning disabilities regarding the use of computers for school-related work. Results of pre- and post-tests and attitude surveys support the notion that students with disabilities could be successfully included in computer-based instruction in general…

Explores 149 elementary school teachers' personal experiences with instructional computing and the role of computers they would like to see in classroom instruction. Teachers' responses to a survey questionnaire revealed significant differences and positive correlation between teachers' present computer training, level of comfort, and computer…

Describes the United Kingdom Open University's FirstClass(TM) Computer conferencing system and its role in student support, taking as an example the way it is used for course choice. Suggests that while there are students who use it freely and apparently derive benefit from it, there are also substantial issues to be addressed about its relative…

A faculty member in teacher development presents her perspectives of technology use, requirements, and students' problems. Five students in her Introduction to Education class give their viewpoints of technology use in their classes and discuss their perspective as future teachers. Problems of technology in the classroom are identified, followed…

Describes a study that developed an instrument to provide a quantitative measure of the attitudes of undergraduates toward educational use of the Internet and studied selected behavioral correlates of those attitudes. Discusses keeping track of educational Internet sites, sharing educational Internet information with friends, and choosing classes…

The abandonment of face-to-face voice conversations in favor of the use of electronic conversations in composition classes is an issue to be interrogated. In a recent push to "prepare students for the 21st century," teachers are asked to teach computer applications in the humanities--and composition teachers, who will teach writing in…

Describes a study of grade 6 and 7 students in Australia that focuses on two factors that may contribute toward the development of student attitudes toward computers: (1) the amount of access to classroom computers; and (2) the nature of the computer tasks. Results indicated that increased access resulted in a decline in liking computers.…

Discussion of teacher attitudes toward computer-assisted instruction (CAI) highlights a study that examined the relationship between Eysenck's personality factors (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism), religiosity, and attitudes toward CAI in a sample of 190 female teacher trainees at Bar-Ilan University (Israel). (36 references)…

A sample of 250 early childhood teachers were surveyed to identify their computer attitudes. Found a general sequence of stages that early childhood teachers go through when implementing the computer into the classroom: a stage of focus on buying computers; a stage of confusion; a stage of pulling it all together; and finally, a stage of full…

Presents a model of differing ways to view technology in its relationship with learning. Discusses these five overlapping categories (or lenses) that capture key areas in which technology may facilitate learning: (1) from technology, (2) with technology, (3) around technology, (4) through technology and (5) through technology-supported assessment…

Reviews research on the instructional benefits of computer technology. Discusses the computer readiness of students, faculty, and institutions, and suggests that despite mixed findings, political and organizational realities indicate computer-based instruction is a feasible alternative for community colleges. Therefore, educators should continue…

The purpose of this study was to determine certain attitudes of students who had received instruction via an interactive distance education environment utilizing compressed video technology. Subjects were students enrolled in courses offered by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and other members of the Mississippi Community College network.…

Describes a study of academic literature that investigated the effects of prior computer usage on student competency and attitudes when using computer-based technology in order to successfully develop computer-based training in the Air Force. Suggests that more research is needed. (LRW)

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)