Examined writing development of 12 children in prekindergarten classes using computers in self-selected language experience activities. Found that 3-year-olds steadily improved in spelling and story writing, and improvement continued the next year. Children who were exposed to writing as 3-year-olds showed greater gains in spelling accuracy the…

Educational microworlds are defined and their potential for developing learners' thought processes is hypothesized to be more realizable than has previously been thought. A structured programing methodology that uses a point-and-click technique and that requires little syntactic sophistication on the part of the participant is presented. (LB)

Compared the effects of LOGO Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI), and a standard curriculum without computer exposure among grade three Zimbabwean children. No significant differences were found between the groups exposed to LOGO and to CAI, but both achieved significantly greater gains that the groups without computer exposure. Results suggest that…

Investigated the effects of developmental and nondevelopmental computer software on four- and five-year-old children's intelligence, creativity, and self-esteem. Also assessed the effect of supplementing developmental software with related activities. Children exposed to developmental software supplemented with activities had gains in more areas…

Over 2-year period, 83 education majors who served as interns in grade 1-6 classrooms completed narrative observation instruments and conducted teacher interviews on computer usage in classroom. Results indicated that many teachers did not make reasoned decisions about how and when their classroom computer would be used, or by whom, and that…

Examines contributions of computer-assisted reading software (CARS) to current teaching practice. Presented framework for evaluating the technical and pedagogic characteristics of CARS. Described case study using proposed framework to evaluate the use of talking books software in British schools. Cognitive and affective benefits are identified.…

A series of computer tutorials provide opportunities for education students in an elementary-mathematics-methods course to explore a topic in depth. Tutorials cover content discussed in class and offer classroom situations for student response and reflection. At the end of each tutorial, students have a choice of assignments to complete in…

Describes the design of a computer-based problem-solving tool for teaching abstraction and classification to elementary school students. The task involves reasoning with attribute blocks. The software keeps a detailed trace of the student's actions, allowing teachers to provide intelligent feedback to the student. Results of a pilot study of the…

Examined the impact of a commercially prepared geography adventure computer game on 109 fifth and sixth graders' recall of geography facts and on their attitudes toward studying geography. Found no significant difference in recall between students using the computer game "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" and students using…

Investigated the changes in attitudes toward computers in 803 Japanese first and second graders who were exposed to computers in school. Found that children who used computers tended to like them more than children who did not use computers. The findings failed to provide evidence that computer use improved intellectual activities such as…

Investigated the efficacy of a computer program approach to help 260 at-risk fourth graders model, practice, and internalize narrative writing skills. Found that the at-risk students responded positively to the use of technology incorporated with instructional strategies for developing higher order thinking and literacy skills. The teachers also…

Presents a curriculum unit designed for average sixth-grade students intended to engage them in problem-solving experiences and to teach them problem-solving strategies. The curriculum consists of 20 sessions in which students engage in various activities using the following software packages: The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury, Rescue at Boone's…

Discusses the promotion of language and literacy skills in young children through the use of computers. Describes specific courseware that can be used to develop vocabulary and writing skills. Includes sample lessons that demonstrate how courseware can be effectively integrated into a school curriculum and provides a checklist for teachers to use…

The purpose of this study was to train and empower computer teacher facilitators through enabling them to introduce technology to children, instruct peers in use of computers for early childhood education, and improve family literacy and computer literacy through parent education. Found significant differences and implications for empowered roles…

Nine research reports on the use of computers in the education of young children are reviewed. The reports appear in dissertations, journal articles, or papers that are in the ERIC database. Each report is referenced to its ERIC accession number. (BC)