In this paper, we explore the relationship between student success in acquiring software literacy and students' broader engagement and understanding of knowledge across different disciplines. We report on the first phase of a project that examines software literacies associated with Microsoft PowerPoint as a common software package encountered and…

This study attempts to determine if authentic learning strategies can be used to acquire knowledge of and increase motivation for computational thinking. Over 600 students enrolled in a computer literacy course participated in this study which involved completing a pretest, posttest and motivation survey. The students were divided into an…

Instructional elements remain the foundation of current instructional design practice. Practice is the instructional element provided after learners have been given information required to master an objective and Navigation is the non-instructional element guides the learner on the sequence of instruction. Linear Navigation can be referred to as…

Little research has been done examining the role of errors in learning computer software. It is argued, though, that understanding the errors that people make while learning new software is important to improving instruction. The purpose of the current study was to (a) develop a meaningful and practical system for classifying computer software…

Concerned with the writing and designing of computer manuals that enable users to remember the information presented within them, this study addresses two key questions: (1) whether people remember material longer if they are tested on it immediately after they learn it; and (2) what material they remember (and forget) after a week or month…

Researchers of computer ability have been largely influenced by the Galtonian perspective of intelligence assessment: a predominantly linear, construct-driven model based on identifying statistically determined factors. The use of this methodology, though, has far more to do with utility than theoretical rigor. Notably absent from this kind of…

Discusses the use of spreadsheets for problem solving in middle and elementary school math classes. Lists six ideas for their use in the classroom. Includes two templates. (MVL)

Technology has been making rapid strides since its inception in the school curriculum. In 1970, four kinds of software were available for use in reading instruction, although they were criticized for deficiencies. Throughout the 1980s, the number of schools having computers and sufficient software increased. Advantages in using computers in…

This paper describes a study designed to investigate the effectiveness of narrative versus step-by-step instructions for a computer task. The participants in this study were 31 undergraduate education students enrolled in a computer literacy class at the University of Memphis during the Summer 1996 semester; none of the participants had prior…