Research in English: Computer Literacy in Schools

10-second review: Computers were used more at home than in schools. 189 sixth and seventh graders.

Title: “Changing Conceptions and Uses of Computer Technologies in the everyday Literacy practices of Sixth and Seventh Graders.” J Agee and J Altarriba. Research in the Teaching of English (May 2009), 363-396.

Quote: “In the past decade, American schools have made great progress in getting connected to the Internet. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)… reported that only 3% of American schools were connected in 1994 while 94% were connected in 2005.”

Quote: “The most interesting finding across these two middle schools where computers and access were not generally an issue was that these sixth and seventh graders were learning about computer technologies primarily on their own. Except for a sixth-grade class that focused on using basic programs such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, the majority of students did not use computers in school, nor did they have assignments except in one seventh grade health class where they were required to use the Internet for finding information. Their language arts teachers said they did not take students to the school computer labs or integrate computer technologies into their instruction. Consequently, these students’ conceptions and uses of computer technology and the Internet rarely included academic work or learning.”

Comment: Incredible. At least students’ writing instruction should include using the word processor for instruction in revising and editing. Not to mention research on the Internet. Incredible. I’m more persuaded  than ever that computer technology in the schools is a dead end—technology that is not being used for instruction. For keeping grades by teachers, maybe, and maybe communicating with parents. But not for instruction. RayS.