The microcomputer offers social science field researchers a valuable tool for managing qualitative research data. In addition to the flexibility and efficiency of the microcomputer, the logic governing its programming and operation imposes a framework on the research process which necessitates that research decisions and strategies be explicit and…

This research paper based upon a thesis of the same title examines whether a statistically significant difference exists between computer literacy test scores for those students having a microcomputer in the home and those who do not. Relationships between student gender, adult education level, adult occupation, adult computer use, educational…

The effectiveness of learning paired associates from a computer-based drill strategy known as the progressive state drill was compared in this study with the effectiveness of having students use their own strategies with flashcards. Characteristics of the progressive state drill which make it a potentially effective drill and practice strategy for…

A study was conducted to examine gender differences in computer attitudes and experiences of adolescents. A random, systematic sample of students (1,138) from five San Francisco Bay area high schools was surveyed for their uses of computers before and during their high school years. Four main categories of data were collected: (1) instructional…

This study was conducted to test three hypotheses: that moderate levels of external pacing of a microcomputer instructional program would result in more effective learning; that moderate levels of external pacing would improve learning time efficiency; and that lower achievers may have to be forced into further instruction. (MBR)

Describes study of children in grades one, three, and five that examined their active processing and short term memory (STM) of color, contour, and interior pattern of shapes found in computer digitized pictures. Age-related differences are examined, and the role of processing visual information in the learning process is discussed. (12…

High and low level questions as determined by a panel of evaluators were combined with corrective feedback and attribute isolation feedback to form four versions of a computer-based science lesson. The sample consisted of 154 high school chemistry students in a suburban high school. The primary hypothesis was that students who received high level…

The effects of the Attention Directing Strategy and Imagery Cue Strategy as program embedded learning strategies for microcomputer-based instruction (MCBI) were examined in this study. Eight learning conditions with identical instructional content on the parts and operation of the human heart were designed: either self-paced or externally-paced,…

Describes two interactive computer programs that simulate abstract relationships and require students to use inductive reasoning, form and test hypotheses, and analyze functions of systems and the reasoning processes required to understand them. Their development and use in college philosophy of science courses is outlined, and possible future…

The purpose of this study was to investgate the role of self-efficacy expectations in understanding gender differences in the election of college computer science courses. Participants were 368 undergraduate students (males=104, females=264) enrolled in a course fulfilling a general education requirement at a large urban university. A two-page…

Findings are presented from two separate year-long longitudinal studies of the development of planning skills among school aged children in relation to learning LOGO programming, and a theoretical context is provided for predictions of greater improvement by the programming groups. In the first year, experimental groups comprised students in each…

A comparison of the performance of two groups of third grade students practicing division problems is used to assess the effect of a commercial computer-assisted instruction drill program on learning. The progress of the experimental group (using computers) is compared with that of a group using conventional print drill practice. (20 references)…

This study was conducted to determine whether young children, given the experience of Logo programming, would acquire problem-solving skills and be able to transfer those skills to other areas. The study also investigated Logo's effectiveness in teaching certain fundamental geometric concepts to children who were supposedly not developmentally…

A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of interactive video in teaching study skills and to discover: (1) the overall attitudes of students toward computer-directed instruction (CDI) as compared to traditional teaching methods; (2) whether two groups, instructed via CDI and traditional methods, differed significantly in knowledge of…

To examine the role of elaborations in learning a procedural skill (i.e., using a personal computer) from an instructional text, 88 members of the Carnegie-Mellon University community (students, faculty, and staff members) participated in two experiments. Experimental sessions consisted of a reading period followed by a task performance period in…