In this study, the effect of the word processor on third semester Spanish students at the University of Arizona was examined. The study was performed over two semesters, using a control and an experimental group each time. The communicative language approach for second language learning was implemented in a cooperative learning environment for both control and experimental groups. Control groups used paper and pencil to write their class essays and experimental groups used the word processor. The experimental groups outperformed the control groups. The semester variable by itself was also significant. However, there was no significant interaction between group and semester. Replication studies are needed to validate the results of this study.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-129).

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 86 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-76).

Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 1993. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 7, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Douglas D. Hesse (chair), James R. Kalmbach, Janice G. Neuleib, Maurice A. Scharton. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 244-256) and abstract. Also available in print.

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The University of Arizona Composition Program has demonstrated that computers can be integrated successfully into composition instruction. Administrators and instructors are preparing to offer students in second-semester Freshman Composition (English 102) a computer-integrated course of instruction as the equipment and facilities become available. Chapter I relates how current research shows that computers offer support to current theories in composition and that they can be utilized in all the various processes involved with producing university writing. It explores the problems program directors and university administrators face in providing computer technology to undergraduates in writing courses. Chapter II compares the reactions of Southern Arizona Writing Project teacher-participants with freshman students in a pilot section of English 102 at the University of Arizona and with comparable undergraduates at other universities as they learn to use word processors as a tool for writing. Some differences between the older SAWP participants and the undergraduates were observed, especially a greater computer anxiety and a greater of urgency to learn about computers. The SAWP participants had less time to become proficient computer writers than did the freshmen. All these factors probably contributed to their lower success rate as computer writers. Nevertheless, a large majority of all ages of computer writers recognize the benefits of using word processors for writing and even those SAWP participants who made only limited progress expressed a sense of satisfaction at having mastered the machine. Chapter III describes ways that computer writing and strategies of collaborative learning and peer review were adapted to the syllabus of English 102 in a pilot class at the University of Arizona. Students reacted favorably to both computers and to the teaching strategies. However, the vision of total computer integration resulting in a paper-free writing course cannot be achieved without either restructuring the syllabus or acquiring substantially improved computer facilities, especially through networked workstations and computerized classrooms.

This study investigated the implications of using computers in the writing process. The purpose was to determine whether there was a difference between two groups in their editing and revising techniques and their attitude towards writing. It was hypothesized that students who had had three years experience with computer writing would use more sophisticated forms of editing and would feel more positive toward writing than those students who had only a single year of writing with the computer. Two groups of seventh-grade students were identified: the One-year Group consisted of students who had one year of keyboard training and one year of experience with a word processor; the Three-year Group consisted of students who had a minimum of three years of keyboard training and a minimum of three years experience with a word processor. The students had all attended schools within the same district for the past three years. A group of grade-six students were trained as observers. They were given two training sessions, first observing a videotape and then observing another student. About 150 students were trained and the best 60 were used to observe the grade sevens for the study. Each writing group spent one forty-minute period composing an essay on the computer while being observed by the grade-six students. The observers tallied the editing and revising actions that were employed by the two writing groups. The editing activities of the two groups were compared. The grade-seven students were also given a writing opinion survey. Both groups had a positive attitude but there was no significant difference in their attitude toward writing. Three levels of editing are normally discerned (Kurth and Stromberg, 1987; Hillocks, 1987): surface, lexical, and phrase/sentence. The One-year Group made significantly more typing corrections but there was no difference in overall surface editing. The Three-year group did significantly more lexical and phrase/sentence editing. In this way, students with more word-processing experience exhibit an editing style that is characteristic of better writers. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

Many young children appear to take delight in manipulating common elements of their environment, e.g., sticks, stones, and mud. Our ancestors also used these and other elements in order to play, explore,, and eventually create written language. In a print-laden society, young children are budding literates. Within a few years their abilities and skills evolve to the level it has taken the human species thousands of years to reach. Associated with the evolution of written language is related technology. Humans have evolved from cave art and literacy to computer art and literacy. Again, what has taken thousands of years to evolve for the species takes only a few years for today's children. Within the past ten years computers have become common literacy implements in American schools. An understanding of childrens' use of this machine is important to educators in general and educational leaders in particular. The purpose of this study was to investigate kindergarten students' use of a word processor: What developmental sequences related to print literacy reveal themselves as kindergarten children use a word processor? In what ways are these sequences the same or different than those identified by researchers studying young children's use of pencil and paper? What time commitments do children make at each stage of these developmental sequences? How do the physical attributes of the computer environment, screen color for example, influence children's behavior associated with word processing? A review of literature incorporated readings associated with research in human evolution of print literacy, literacy of technology, language and cognition plus recent research on writing and computers. A research design incorporating qualitative methods was created. Six subjects, representing a variety of backgrounds in a kindergarten class of 26 full day students, were observed for 20 weeks. For one hour each day, this kindergarten class attended a writing lab which contained eight learning centers. One of the learning centers consisted of six word processors networked to two printers. In addition to collecting student documents, both in paper and electronic form. subjects' behaviors were observed and recorded. Observational recordings were analyzed, collapsed into manageable data and re-analyzed. Subjects' evolution of writing was similar to children using pencil and paper. In addition, subject's literacy of technology evolved. Each subject displayed individual episodes of development and incorporated less mature behaviors with more mature behaviors as they evolved along their print literacy and literacy of technology continuums. It was observed that subjects intertwined print and technological behaviors and skills as they wrote with a word processor. Time relationships associated with the development of writing and environmental aspects of the word processor center did not appear important. Information Age etiquette evolved as students controlled their writing, a computer system. and worked with others. The inherent publicness of monitors contributed to meta-linguistics, sharing knowledge about technology, and problem solving among students. Young children are capable of writing with and manipulating a word processor. They are also capable of trying to solve problems of written language and computers. Educators will find that young children quickly learn Information Age tool etiquette.

This research project studied a class of high school 11th and 12th grade writing students, for one semester, as they learned to use word processors for composing and editing assignments. The goals of the study were to (a) determine whether the use of a word processor created a special learning environment, (b) document the learning environment created, (c) document the resultant student word processing concepts, schemata and strategies, and (d) document the effects on the writing of students. Five predictions, based on research on language thought and symbol systems, and the application of a theoretical model formed the basis for observations. The predictions were tested by collecting and analyzing student writing and observational data. Student concepts, schemata and strategies were documented through use of the checklists and through observation. Pre- and post-student writing samples were matched and analyzed using individual T-tests, ANOVA and MANCOVA to determine any impact on writing due to the use of word processors. Questionnaires provided background information on English teacher and student writing/word processing backgrounds. Findings indicate support for the research model and predictions 1-4. The research model was found to be useful in organizing data and summarizing prediction results, and may offer assistance to teachers and researchers who want to study the impact of microcomputers from a total learning environment perspective.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of word processor use by foreign college writers and their attitudes toward writing, writing revision practices, writing quality, attitudes toward the use of computers, and time spent on computers. The results indicate that students' attitudes toward writing and their perceptions of computer usefulness significantly affected their writing quality. Students with more positive attitudes toward writing and the usefulness of computers tended to produce better quality writing. In addition, the findings indicate that students' writing revision practices significantly affected their attitudes toward writing. Students who revised their writing more frequently tended to have better attitudes toward writing than those who did not. In contrast, students' levels of computer anxiety, computer confidence, computer liking and their writing revision practices did not significantly affect the quality of their writing. Furthermore, the amount of time that students spent on computers did not significantly affect their attitudes toward using computers in writing.