This report provides statistical information on computer use in the United States in 1984, including home, work, and school use, and use according to socioeconomic status, race, and sex. The data show that over 15 million American adults owned home computers, but only 53% actually use them. About 8% of U.S. households, or 6.98 million, had a…

This study used the sense-making approach of message-q/ing to examine how individuals arrive at an understanding of new technology, in this case, word processing. Subjects were 10 computer naive undergraduate students learning to use word processing as part of a course requirement. Using the WordStar program manual, subjects employed the…

This paper considers the discord that may arise in a teacher's thinking when there is a conflict between new technical innovations and the generally accepted aims and culture of teaching itself. Teachers share common ideas about what they do and why it is valuable; there tends to be agreement about what the collectively approved actions of…

This report presents the proceedings of a regional workshop on the training of secondary school teachers in the use of computers in general education, which was conducted to launch a pilot project for the countries of Europe and stimulate international cooperation in the field. Introductory materials note that the tasks set for workshop…

Pointing out the difficulties in passing from the industrial age to the information age, this paper discusses the advent of new technologies and worldwide recognition of the significant influence technology will have for education. Conferences resulting in development actions aimed at introducing new information technologies into education and…

This report relates the experiences of a teacher who conducted a graduate computer education class at a shopping center in Dallas, Texas. The activity asked each member of the class to spend up to 5,000 mythical dollars on a hardware system and appropriate software to facilitate his/her current job performance. Students could "shop" in three…

This study analyzed the enrollment of two computer classes at a public high school in northern Indiana to see if there was any computer inequity. The two classes examined--an introduction to computers course and a computer programming course--were studied over a period of four years. The sample consisted of 388 students in four years of the…

The development of knowledge and skills in the areas of mathematics, science, and computers is considered to be important for all students, both males and females. These subjects are prerequisites for many postsecondary education programs. Some of the most highly paid sectors of the labor market are those which require math, science, and computer…

All elementary and middle school students can gain five different types of knowledge about computers: (1) how to operate a computer; (2) roles computers play in different subject areas and outside of education; (3) how to direct a computer to aid them in writing, information retrieval, music composition, and creative art; (4) algorithmic thinking;…

Performance aspects of three samples (N=58) of students enrolled in computer science literacy courses for educators were studied. The person-environment congruence concept of Holland's model of vocational behavior was used to predict class performance. The model uses a classification system which arranges six vocational types in a hexagonal…

This booklet, the first of a four-unit series on computer literacy, provides general guidance on establishing and conducting computer literacy courses, whether as components of other courses or as free-standing courses. An overview of computer literacy in the context of education and training and of guidelines for its implementation is followed by…

Elements of computing success of Iona College, the challenges it currently faces, and the strategies conceived to cope with future computing needs are discussed. The college has mandated computer literacy for students and offers nine degrees in the computerized information system/management information system areas. Since planning is needed in…

Computing literacy programs at Iona College are discussed, including developments since 1979. Information is provided on the college's computing facilities, software resources, competencies defined before and after 1980, and program funding. Additionally, a computer literacy program for administrators is considered in detail. The following…

In response to increasing demands for computer literacy, the University of Nevada/Reno College of Education, in cooperation with the Burroughs Corporation, developed a training program to acquaint future and inservice teachers with computer use and the potentials of computer education. In this model, groups of learners are stratified by levels of…

This report studies the learning and use of computer applications programs--i.e., word processing programs, database management programs, and spreadsheets--in elementary and secondary school computer literacy courses. This study was designed to identify teachers' pedagogical assumptions and expectations underlying the use of applications software…