Discusses pre-college access and use of computers by different groups of students, cross-campus computing initiatives, the potential impact of the present inequities experienced by students of color in the context of cross-campus computing, and recommendations to enhance access to computers and the computer competence of students of color. (EV)

Excitement about handhelds must be tempered by an understanding of what is typically required when any new technology is introduced into classrooms. We know, for example, that to succeed, handheld initiatives will need clear educational objectives and a logical theory of action that guides implementation. We can anticipate that teachers will need…

The digital divide is generally thought to arise from socio-economic disparities. However, there is more to it. Eye colour is a factor. In this study, the 16 multiple-choice item Internet Quiz was administered to 3,208 respondents in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver) of British Columbia, Canada. Blue and hazel-eyed people knew significantly more…

In this report, the author shares her perspective on ten years of science-rich programming for high school youth at the American Museum of Natural History. This report includes: (1) A discussion of the theory of action and the rationale that underlies the AMNH youth programs; (2) A description of three of the programs that have been offered and…

In the study of the Technology Immersion model, high-need middle schools were "immersed" in technology by providing laptops for each teacher and student, instructional and learning resources, professional development, and technical and pedagogical support. This article reports third-year findings for the teacher component of the…

The purpose of the study is to explore the attitudes of first year university students towards computers. The study focuses on preservice teachers (N=46) included 33 male and 12 female from Middle East Technical University, Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT) department. The study is delimited to first grade preservice teachers…

This study examined the factors influencing pre-service teachers' perceptions of computers' self- efficacy. Participants in the study were 305 pre-service science teachers at a four-year public university in Turkey. Two instruments were used for this study: the Turkish version of the Microcomputer Utilization in Teaching Efficacy Beliefs…

This study evaluates the reliability of self-assessment as a measure of computer competence. This evaluation is carried out in response to recent research which has employed self-reported ratings as the sole indicator of students' computer competence. To evaluate the reliability of self-assessed computer competence, the scores achieved by students…

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of computer use on children's social skills in kindergarten. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K), conducted by National Center for Educational Statistics, was utilized to analyze differential effects of home and school computer use on kindergarten social…

Increasing numbers of educational institutions are adopting an online approach to teaching and learning; however, little regard has been given to the prerequisite personal and technical qualities required for academic achievement and satisfaction within this environment. In recognition of this, researchers have been exploring the design,…

Helping prospective teachers become more knowledgeable and skilled in the use of technology in education is an important goal of today's teacher preparation programs. This article reports the results of a survey, "Pre-service Teacher Technology Survey: technology usage and needs of science educators", that determined pre-service science…

Earlier work at unsupervised playground computer kiosks in rural India, popularly called "hole-in-the-wall", showed that children exposed to these kiosks learn to use computers on their own and that they are able to clear school examinations in computer science, without any classroom teaching for it. Extending this, our recent research…

To determine the effectiveness of using computers to teach problem solving skills to gifted/talented students, 60 elementary students received instruction in either computers, creative problem solving, or the traditional gifted curriculum. One result was that both the computer education and the creative problem solving groups increased in computer…

Discusses why computer-assisted instruction is well-suited for adult learners. Examines differences among adult learners due to physiological changes and the importance of an egalitarian communication network to adult education programs. (CT)

The development of computer literacy among teachers is discussed. It is argued that teachers' computer literacy will be enhanced if it is based on analysis of computers as communicative media and on assessed needs of teachers. Similarly, teacher motivation will improve if teachers understand how computers meet their needs. (SLD)