Reports are given on the use of computers in elementary and secondary schools in five states. An analysis of the reports discusses various educational trends and implications evolving from computer use, including misapplied technology and the proper amount of learning and teaching via computers. (CJ)

The first report details the computer education plans of the school district in Palo Alto (California), where the use of the computer is part of normal school activities in grades K-6, all seventh grade students participate in a computer awareness unit, and students in grades 9-12 are encouraged to enroll for one quarter in a computer studies…

This investigation compares the computer practices of the Garza family, from the first study, with those of the Fuentes family, from the second study. As both families are of Mexican origin, they belong to an ethnicity that has been reported as falling on the "have-not" side of the "divide" (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1999);…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Confronting the Autism Epidemic: New Expectations for Children with Autism Means a New Role for Public Schools (Kate McKenna); (2) Internet Research 101:…

Describes the selection of hardware and refinement of lesson sets for the Computer Tutor project, a computer literacy program in the Palo Alto schools which uses tutors to teach programing skills to students, staff, and parents. An overview of the program in its second year of operation is included. (JJD)

Findings from an evaluation of Teacher Education and Computer (TEC) Centers were presented. The California State Legislature authorized 15 TEC Centers to provide staff development services to teachers and administrators. Evaluation of the Centers focused on several policy issues in order to describe the major accomplishments of TEC Centers on a…

This document offers a perspective on the use of computers in education to assist California educators with the design and implementation of educational activities that encourage the effective and creative use of computers and computer software throughout the school curriculum. It is organized in six strands, each identifying a basic core of…

Reports a survey of Northern California high school principals and recent graduates addressing the extent to which technological subject matter has been incorporated into course offerings. The impact of technology, implications for curriculum, and recommended activities and assignments for heightening students' awareness of the impact of…

To help California school board members make informed decisions about computers, this handbook offers a computer primer with examples of outstanding computer curriculum programs. Chapter 1 introduces basic computer terminology. Chapter 2 outlines issues to consider in computer acquisition and the initial implementation of computer curricula. The…

The Policy Board of the Teacher Education and Computer Center (TEC Center) for San Diego/Imperial Counties of California requested researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), to produce a background paper on the effective local classroom uses of microcomputers. Exemplary site studies of two elementary, two junior high, and two…

This paper focuses on the challenges faced by faculty in the urban teacher preparation programs, particularly in the area of technology integration by pre-service and in-service teachers in their classroom instruction. The paper discusses the issues of first-order barriers (access to technology, infrastructure support) and second-order barriers…

As part of California's comprehensive program to improve and strengthen its schools by incorporating educational technology into the entire curriculum, funds have been provided to school districts that have developed an educational technology or computer education plan. This guide identifies planning activities and describes steps district…

Through narratives taken from life history interviews with an indigenous Mexican male immigrant in California, this paper examines the connection between masculinities and the learning of dominant languages associated with access to economic opportunities. In portraying the teller's engagements with work and education in both countries, these life…

As a baseline measurement of what is being learned about computers in California, the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of a representative sample of 17,861 high school seniors was assessed in December 1982. Developed by a committee of experts in computer technology drawn from the public school system, universities, and industry, the…

As a baseline measurement of what is being learned about computers in California, a study, originally reported in "Student Achievement in California Schools: 1982-83 Annual Report," investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of a representative sample of 6th and 12th graders. The survey was developed by experts on computer…