Demand-led learning offers resources to learners when they want them; total solution learning takes the learner from induction to final accreditation through a seamless process. The University of Southampton attempted to deliver basic information technology skills through the support of these processes. Steps in the seamless process were designed,…

Because there is little empirical data available on how well young children are able to use a computer mouse, the present study examined their proficiency in clicking on small objects at various positions on the screen and their skill in moving objects over the screen, using drag-and-drop and click-move-click. The participants were 104 children…

Girls and women continue to be underrepresented in high school Advanced Placement computer science courses, undergraduate and graduate computer science programs at colleges and universities, and engineering programs and related careers. This is not to suggest that public schools train students to fulfill specific job needs, yet it is evident that…

Technology is central to the daily routine of university life. Yet, without any formal technology prerequisites, students come to college with differing technological skills, stratified by gender, socioeconomic status, and racial backgrounds. Beyond skills, students' varied computing histories can result in a range of technology identities that…

Study conducted in 1985 involved a sample of male and female teachers in Quebec, Canada. The study provides insight into the use of microcomputers in Quebec schools. Study underscored inequalities in the distribution of computers based on school size, town population, and administrative region. (RB)

As a way of helping states and districts interested in laptop initiatives, the Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NEIRTEC) has reviewed lessons learned to date from many laptop initiatives around the country and has prepared this guide. Drawn from articles and reports about current and past programs (see…

Discusses the findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress 1985-86 survey of American students' computer competence, focusing on findings of interest to reading teachers who use computers. (MM)

With more than 4 billion web pages in its database, Google is suitable for many different kinds of searches. When you know what you are looking for, Google can be a pretty good first choice, as long as you want to search a word pattern that can be expected to appear on any results pages. The problem starts when you don't know exactly what you're…

The purpose of this study was to examine K-12 physical education teachers' perceptions of ability and usage of technology. Physical educators (n = 114) completed the Physical Education Technology Usage Survey assessing their perceived technology competency, how and why they utilize technology, challenges they face in implementing technology, and…

This study compared the effectiveness of two instructional methods--problem-based instruction within a face-to-face context and computer-mediated participatory simulation--in increasing students' content knowledge and application gains in the area of information problem-solving. The instructional methods were implemented over a four-week period. A…

The North Carolina Virtual Public School completed its first session during the summer of 2007. Evaluation results revealed differences between accelerated and credit recovery students, including a significantly higher likelihood for accelerated students to rate their courses as high quality, to express interest in taking another online course,…

In many countries, information and communication technology (ICT) has a clear impact on the development of educational curricula. In Flanders, the education government has identified and defined a framework of ICT competencies for expected outcomes, related to knowledge, skills and attitudes that pupils are expected to achieve at the end of…

This paper aims to move away from the notion of a digital divide premised on technology "haves and have-nots" to a more nuanced understanding based on technological practices. It draws on empirical research from interviews with eight case-study families about the ways in which information and communication technologies (ICT) fit into…

Learner analysis and needs assessments are basic elements of all instructional design models and are of concern to those designing distance education courses. This investigation surveyed 249 geographically dispersed online students' computer skills and attitudes toward Internet-delivered instruction. Results were assessed by demographics. Results…

Appropriate ways to use computers in elementary schools are discussed, as are inappropriate uses. Ways parents have assisted educators in thinking about how computers are used are presented as examples. (MT)