drumsticks,
There are articles and studies related to this topic, but very few
probe specifically into the mind of children. Most simply report
findings with varying degrees of bias. While scanning studies and
links for relevency it was obvious that computer use in schools is
very beneficial to children. It became apparent one of the major
factors to how a child feels towards computers is whether they have
access, and have had exposure. All the reports state that with no
exposure, kids don't feel they are missing anything, they feel
computers are not important. Another consistent finding is that boys
and girls attitudes change about computers change over time, they
enjoy them, and become fluent, at different ages. Boys seem to take
to computers earlier, just as they did with early Nintendo boxes.
Suprisingly, in the US, a lot school computer time is used for games
and such. In Switzerland though, where they have 80% saturation,
nearly all computer use by children in school is lesson based.
Instead of attempting to sum up all the findings, I'll point you to them.
EXCERPTS FROM AN ARTICLE - Friday, 18 Jun 2004:
How do students perceive ICT and its use in schools?
http://www.eun.org/eun.org2/eun/en/Insight_Research&Development/content.cfm?ov=33699&lang=en
..."a surprisingly small number of researchers have investigated, for
example, children?s attitudes toward computers or their satisfaction
in using computers at school......Although most children have some
experiences with computers, not all of them feel comfortable with
using computers. Studies have shown that there still are children that
experience anxiety when using computers at school, though the amount
is usually low. Students, however, have quite positive attitudes
towards computers and ICT in general......In general, children like to
use computers at home more than at school. Sometimes children have
found school use a little bit unexciting in comparison with home use.
Further, children?s conceptions about computers and networked
technologies have been built up largely from the use of computers
outside school through `play' (for example playing games, web
surfing). In general, attitudes formed at home dominate children?s
attitude towards ICT......Although children prefer computer use at
home more than at schools, this does not indicate that they have a
negative attitude towards using computers at school. Some research
clearly shows that students develop very positive and helpful
attitudes towards the use of computers at school, if they just get
enough successful experience of using computers as a learning tool.
However, there are also indications that some students develop
negative attitudes towards using computers at school, if they don?t
have any experiences of significant activities of using ICT at school.
In that case, they do not perceive computers being a very useful
learning tool. Simply more experiences with computers in school are
not enough; the experiences have to be successful, and they have to
satisfy the user. Thus, children's attitudes to ICT differentiate
according to function and how computers are used as a learning tool.
Usually ICT is best suited to a curriculum that is more
learner-centred than instruction centred..."
Effect of technology integration education on the attitudes of
teachers and their students.
http://courseweb.tac.unt.edu/rhondac/research/dissert/index.htm
This was a study conducted in Texas. Read the Abstract.
Girls and computers: Who says boys enjoy them more?
http://www.iittl.unt.edu/iittl/presentations/necc/gender5necc03.pdf
The primary purpose of this study was to assess boys? and girls? attitudes toward
computers in the context of other learning dispositions.
Dr. Rhonda Christensen conducted these two studies. Many more links
to studies here:
http://courseweb.tac.unt.edu/rhondac/
Impact of New Information Technologies on Teachers and Students
http://www.iittl.unt.edu/iittl/presentations/wcce/wcce01/impact.htm
Don't miss these two sections:
3. Major Findings Across Cultures
7. Findings Regarding Students
Are Computers in Early Childhood Classroom Developmentally Appropriate?
By Beverly M. Cetnar Ballor - May 22, 2003
An opinion based on personal experience.
Here's a very interesting perspective:
An Alternative View on Why, When and How Computers Should Be Used in Education
http://www.ime.usp.br/~vwsetzer/comp-in-educ.html
MIDDLE OF THE PAGE:
..."the problem of mixed purposes also holds true for children using
computers in school today. Regardless of the subject matter, the
primary learning experience, and the one on which the child's
attention is focused, is how to manipulate the computer. The child
often doesn't really care much, if at all, about learning the material
presented. The main concern is to spend time using the computer. The
teacher's goal of getting the student to arrive at a knowledge of,
say, history is never internalized as a goal by the student, for whom
the destination is secondary to the trip..."
[...We need to remember this. I remember my own learning curve. It's
like learning to drive, at first you are all caught up in the simple
mechanics of driving...]
The Center for Media Literacy
http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article199.html
This is specifically about the Internet, but interesting too:
PRESS RELEASE - New study details how children interact with media in everyday life
More Kids Say Internet Is the Medium They Can?t Live Without
http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/pdf/113_kidspref.pdf
..."Westfield, NJ & Menlo Park, CA; April 5, 2002: If they could only
have one medium or media technology, more children would choose the
Internet, with television placing second and telephone third. These
are among the findings of How Children Use? Media Technology, a newly
released, in-depth study from Knowledge Networks/Statistical Research
(KN/SRI)..."
This is about older students, but a lot of links to preuse:
Papers about the Use of Computers in Schools
http://www.notesys.com/LinkSite/papers.htm
I might be able to find more results if I knew why you were asking
this question, or if you could be very specific as to the scope. If I
can assist you further in regards to computer use in schools and
students feelings about using this medium, please don't hesitate to
contact me via the "Request For Clarification" feature.
~~Cynthia
Keywords used at Google:
study school student/pupil computer children attitude development education effect
"computers in schools" |
