Many adults who enter universities to continue their education are placed in developmental or basic writing classes. With the prevalence of computers on university campuses, some of these writing classes are taught in computerbased classrooms, which may cause adult learners to be apprehensive of both writing and computers. Previous research studies regarding writing and computer apprehension have examined traditional age college students, ignoring how the social context of the computer-based classroom and the computers used as tools for writing may affect adult learners' attitudes toward both writing and computers. The purpose of this descriptive study of adult developmental writers was to examine their perceptions of the effects of computers in a computer-based writing classroom, focusing on how the context of the classroom, including the social situation within the computer-based classroom, influenced their attitudes and apprehension toward both writing and computers.In order to obtain scores that indicated students' apprehension toward writing and computers, the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test and the Loyd and Gressard Computer Attitude Survey were given to adult learners (n=41) at the beginning and the end of the semester to determine changes in students' apprehension. Additional data from interviews, observation reports, and journals of twelve adult learners allowed the researcher to examine students' perceptions of their interactions with other students and between students and their computers, thus promoting an understanding of the context in which learning to write took place.Findings indicated that adult learners' apprehension scores toward writing and computers decreased by the end of the semester in the computer-based classroom. Qualitative data revealed that the computer-based classroom provided a context that enabled students to form supportive peer groups which helped and impacted their writing, allowing them to develop fluid processes for writing with computers.This study has particular relevance for understanding how adults learn to write in various settings. Adult learners are a special population with unique needs. Apprehension toward writing and computers affects adult learners' attitudes toward writing, many times causing them to drop out of educational programs. This study illuminates the problems and feelings adults face as they learn to write using computers. / Department of Educational Leadership

This study investigated the strategies employed by adjunct writing teachers in their attempts to reconcile changes in writing program policy with their existing pedagogies. The methods of investigation combined class observation with extensive interviews with three Ball State University adjunct faculty members to identify the means by which these writing instructors brought new pedagogical goals in their classrooms. It also sought to identify the mechanisms each teacher used to integrate computer-oriented teaching styles into his or her course planning. The purpose of this study was to identify means by which a writing program administration could better introduce change to its teachers of first year composition courses, who are largely adjunct staff.The results of this study showed that while each faculty member felt committed to using technology in his or her teaching, each confronted change differently. Studies in faculty vitality were examined to identify development strategies which could effectively address the differences in faculty change. This study recommends, based on the strategies of each participant, that writing programs seek more kairic models of development. These models would seek to foster continuous discussion of change in order that fitting incentives for development could arise in "the proper time," or kairically, for individual teachers. / Department of English

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 316-330). / Microfiche. / xvi, 330 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Technology, in one or more of its various forms, is now a part of everyday life for most South African citizens. Many schools are equipped with various forms of technology, at great cost to sponsors, schools, parents or the government. However, this technology is not always exploited and full use is not made of it. As access is not the issue, other factors needed to be considered: in this case, teachers’ beliefs, attitudes and knowledge. This thesis explores the cognitive factors which affect the acceptance and use of technology. Teacher cognition and the factors which influence teacher cognition were examined. Following Borg, teacher cognition is defined as “the unobservable cognitive dimension of teaching – what teachers know, believe and think” (Borg, 2003, p. 81). Teacher cognition determines whether or not a teacher will use technology, if the external barrier of access is removed. In order to study the various aspect of teacher cognition, a case study was performed, which studied 6 teachers at 4 schools. All the schools in this study had some level of access to technology. Following Borg, initial experiences with the educational system (i.e. the teacher’s experience as a learner), teacher training, the context the teacher worked in (as well as social factors and private use) and classroom experience were all examined in order to discover the factors which most affect technology acceptance in teaching. The findings show that having easy access to well-maintained and functioning technology cannot be underestimated. In the study, support from other teachers, particularly those in leadership roles, led to an increase in technology use. This support needed to be explicit; general support did not seem to be effective. These findings suggest that technology integration needs to happen at a ‘whole school’ level.

Suppes beweer dat "All teachers everywhere recognise the help that books give them in teaching students. The day is coming when computers will receive the same recognition. Teachers look on computers as a new and powerful tool for helping them to teach their students more effectively." In hierdie ondersoek word gepoog om op die voordele van die aanwending van een mikrorekenaar as hulpmiddel vir die onderwyser vir die onderrig van wiskunde, te wys. Die belangrikste oorwegings in die ondersoek was: 1. Efektiwiteit van die metode. 2. Bekostigbaarheid van die metode. Die effektiwiteit van hierdie metode van onderrig word hoofsaaklik bepaal deur die geskiktheid van die programmatuur. Programmeringsvaardighede aan die kant van onderwysopgeleide persone versterk hierdie oorweging. Deurdat slegs een mikrorekenaar gebruik word, word deels aan die tweede oorweging, naamllk bekostigbaarheld, voldoen. Programmeringsvaardighede, soos hierbo genoem, kan ook bydra tot die besparing van koste deurdat bogenoemde programmatuur 'intern' ontwikkel word. Die wens word uitgespreek dat hierdie metode van onderrig tot voordeel van die totale leerlingbevolking van die land aangewend sal kan word.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Information & Communications Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Computer-programming dexterity is an essential skill for students of computer science, information technology and engineering who are intrinsically expected to be able to do programming. However, teaching and learning computer-programming concepts and skills have been recognised as a great challenge for both teachers and students, for many reasons. Computer-programming requires new ideas in thinking and conceptualising practical solutions. It requires creative skills in solving practical, but often difficult problems. Moreover, computer-programming students, generally lack problem-solving skills and self-efficacy. They typically find it difficult to use artificial programming languages to solve challenging problems. There is the problem of poor background in science and mathematics that would help students to rapidly understand the intricacies of computer-programming. Students are not motivated to overcome the fear of the bizarre syntax of computer-programming codes. These challenges, coupled with the huge potential of computing applications in the society have made the development of effective pedagogies and environments for computer-programming courses, an important issue. To address this issue in a unique way, this study proposes to explore a web-based, blended learning technique with minimal instructor intervention, to improve the computer-programming competence of information technology students. These students are expected to have developed an acceptable level of computer-programming competence at university to be job ready and to be self-reliant in their future careers. The technique being proposed in this study was implemented in a blackboard ™/®/© web-based environment. The effectiveness of the technique was demonstrated using experimentation coupled with the data analysis method that is based on the three-parameter item response theory and retrospective pretest. The method used in this study to evaluate computer- programming competence of students reflects the perspective of the students in the evaluation process. The results of the study indeed show that using the proposed technique, information technology students dynamically collaborate with their peers with minimal instructor intervention towards improving their computer-programming competence. / M

This study investigates the role of the Internet in teaching and learning French as a second language. In facilitating communication with francophones and access to topical information in French, the use of the Internet addresses many of the criticisms identified in prior research of the static nature of traditional computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The Internet potentially plays an important role in realizing the goals of the communicative approach in the British Columbia Core French curriculum. This study documents a variety of language learning activities that make use of the Internet's many facets, such as electronic mail, listservs, gophers, Usenet newsgroups, and World-Wide Web. Questionnaires were distributed to French teachers who either registered for an electronically-distributed course or attended a workshop on using the Internet in the French as a second language classroom. Follow-up interviews were conducted with a selection of teachers who completed and returned the questionnaire. The present study found that French teachers continue to value the Internet most for the exchange of electronic mail with francophone students. While expressing interest in other Internetbased activities, the teachers identified overriding concerns about keeping their students on-task, and about the poor quality and quantity of computing facilities at their schools. Further research should involve case studies with teachers who are implementing a variety of Internet activities over an extended term. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

This study compared the attitudes, motivation, self-concept and performance of two Grade 9 Core French (FSL) classes in Ontario. One class of 16 students used computer mediated communication (CMC) for approximately 1.5 hours per week. The other class of 24 students did not use computers. Analysis of covariance showed no statistically significant differences on any quantitative measures of attitude, motivation, self-concept or performance. The analysis of student interview responses and teacher observations revealed no significant between-group differences on these four variables either. The results suggest that computers are not better than traditional communicative methods of second language teaching in developing Grade 9 FSL students' attitudes, motivation, self-concept and performance. Since the teacher was the variable common to both classes, however, her influence may explain the undifferentiated between-group results. Regardless of the methods used to teach students, the teacher may always be the most influential variable in determining students' attitudes, motivation, self-concept and performance. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum and Instructional Design and Development))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Computers for high school math education.