Arguing that children need access to word processing to reap the same benefits as adult writers, a fourth-grade teacher convinced her administration to provide one computer per child during their writing workshop periods. Having portable word processors liberated student writers by making the mechanical aspects of writing easier. Students could…

Examines the structure of undergraduate computing at a large private university, including patterns of use, impact of computer ownership and gender, and the bureaucratic structure in which usage is embedded. The profile of computer use uncovered in a survey is compared with reports offered by the institution and the trade press. (10 references)…

Presents a computer-assisted activity that helps students discover the importance of choosing words carefully. With a word processing program, small groups of students prepare creative, fill-in-the-blank challenges in which classmates must replace missing adjectives or verbs. (SM)

Two studies presented 2 groups of children--mean age 9.3 years (P5) and mean age 13.2 years (S2 "learning difficulty" students)--with computer-based writing tasks. Results from both individual and interactive writing situations show some online revision but the omission of a posttask revision stage, possibly because of a lack of…

Reviews studies on the effects of introducing word processing to basic writers. Presents the findings of an original pilot study which concludes that computer instruction causes basic students to write more. Suggests ways of improving instruction and obtaining more consistent results in future studies. (HB)

Finds an approach to improving revision skills that integrated strategy instruction, peer response, and word processing to be highly effective with seventh- and eighth-grade students with learning disabilities. (SR)

Describes how to use word processing with first graders in lessons exploring oral and written language via the computer. Suggests ways to use the language experience approach in whole-class as well as small-group instruction. (SR)

Finds that papers written by eighth graders on computer were rated significantly higher on all four dimensions of a holistic/analytic writing assessment scale. Notes that students made more microstructural than macrostructural changes and continuously revised at all stages of their writing. Considers student experience with computers and the…

Describes a method that writing instructors can use for evaluating and commenting on college students' composition papers that uses a stand-alone word processor. Software is discussed, the instructor's role is explained, methods of evaluation and marking papers are suggested, and electronic grading is described. (three references) (LRW)

Describes the establishment of English computer labs in five high schools in Canada. Writing skills were taught using software for word processing, spell checking, and grammar checking. Benefits to students and teachers are enumerated. Students progressed from stages of frustration with the new technology to productivity and psychological comfort.…

Describes an experimental computer program called the "Writing Environment" designed to help writers create well-structured texts on-screen. Outlines a study done in which writers were asked to use the program so that their writing strategies could then be analyzed. Provides data and conclusions of the study. (HB)

Compares undergraduates' handwritten reports with those written on computers for 10 precisely defined quality factors. Finds more similarities than differences, with 6 of the 10 tests showing no significant differences. Notes that this study does not support a general conclusion that basic writing quality will improve in computer written…

Describes research that was conducted to investigate the needs and characteristics of noncomputer professionals who use word processing software on personal computers. A model of the intermittent user's performance is presented, and two experiments are described that examined differences in mode of interaction and the use of online help. (30…

A study to determine whether the ability to detect errors in keyboarded text is related to the medium used to detect errors found that, although the 72 participants had difficulty detecting errors in both paper copy and on-screen documents, their ability to detect errors was not related to the monitor configuration. (Author/JOW)

Discusses conversion projects that move information from one format to another. Planning considerations are discussed; types of conversion processes are described, including conversion between computers using software, cables, or networks; special conversions are examined, including CD-ROMs and online databases; and companies that specialize in…