In 1984, summer bridge students in the Indiana University Learning Skills Center were asked to complete an open-ended questionnaire on PLATO computer assisted instruction (CAI) used in their study skills courses. Of 226 students responding to the survey, 175 (77%) had chosen to use PLATO; 86 students used both the psychology and sociology review…

Drexel University instituted a microcomputing program in 1984 which required all freshmen to own Apple Macintosh microcomputers. All students were taught database searching on the BRS (Bibliographic Retrieval Services) system as part of the freshman humanities curriculum, and the university library was chosen as the site to house continuing…

The impact of word processing on students' attitudes and grades was studied using 235 students in 15 sections of freshmen composition at a large midwestern university. Students in the word-processing sections wrote and revised their papers on the Macintosh Plus using the software MacWrite. Students in the traditional sections used paper, pencils,…

Reports a study that examined entering preservice teachers' prior experience in word processing, database, and spreadsheet software, based on self-reported information. Factors that influenced students' entering skills (for example, gender and computer experience) were noted. Survey data indicated that the subjects had little prior knowledge of…

Poetry was used in a college English class to teach figurative language, connotation, denotation, and the need for close attention to vocabulary. However, students were often bored by traditional poetry. Using computer programs like "Compupoem,""Poetrywriter,""Lifesongs," and "Haikuku," students were introduced to computer poetry and created their…

Although there are many retrospective accounts from teachers and professional writers concerning the effect of computers on their writing, there are few real-time accounts of students struggling to simultaneously develop as writers and cope with computers. To fill this void in "testimonial data," a study examining talking-aloud protocols from a…