Reports results of a study which examined students' assessment of societal influences on their participation in computing. Gender differences in attitudes toward three factors are discussed: computing as male dominated, influence of significant others, and negative attitudes associated with computing and career aspirations. Students, especially…

The We Do--They Do Model provides an evaluation methodology that service providers can use on a small scale to obtain data for themselves and for the over-all system. The model allows for complete assessment of ongoing program implementation and outcome. Three questions are used to organize evaluation activities: (1) Did staff (We) do what we said…

Designed to examine the academic computing programs of six liberal arts colleges that received funding from the Exxon Education Foundation for introducing or expanding academic computing between 1981 and 1983, this report first describes each college's program proposals. It then examines the progress of the colleges to date on their projects and…

This study reports that artistic and social vocational-personality characteristics are associated with greater anxiety and less involvement or success in mathematics and computer courses. A concept of population variability in computer anxiety which is associated with individual differences in vocational personality is supported. (MVL)

This brief overview of the state of the art in computer education in schools in the Federal Republic of Germany covers both the extent and areas of use and research and development, and frequent comparisons are made with educational computer usage in other countries, including the United States, Japan, France, Great Britain, and Norway. The…

This report describes the procedures used to construct and validate the Standardized Test of Computer Literacy (STCL), a criterion-referenced instrument designed to assess students' computer literacy. Following a statement of the study problem and purpose, a description of the study methodology outlines the use of a 12-step model for development…

The effects of using a microcomputer for electronic research on the achievement and attitudes of eighth-grade boys and girls (N=247) were investigated. The study analyzed three dimensions of student themes, two sets of computer achievement measures, and three attitudinal dimensions for each of three treatment groups. Results showed no unpredicted…

Reviews the Microelectronics Education Programme (MEP) from the director's point of view, including the origins and basic structure of the program which ran for six years. The collaboration of teachers, advisers, and trainers is emphasized, research and evaluation procedures are discussed, and learning processes, computer studies, and distribution…

Discussed are the results of a questionnaire which concerned students' course choices and why students chose not to study computing. The lack of human orientation, mathematical ability, and lack of computer contact in secondary schools are identified. (KR)

This paper discusses skills science teachers need to effectively use computing in their teaching and describes how pre- and in-service science teachers can acquire computing skills. These skills can be grouped under three headings: (1) computer as a tutor for students (such as using drill and tutorial programs to bolster achievement); (2) computer…

Describes a study designed to determine if college students' success in writing computer programs is related to level of cognitive development as described by Piaget, verbal ability, and mathematics reasoning. Regression analysis showed that level of cognitive development, when combined with verbal reasoning, is linearly predictive of programming…

Three studies give evidence to support informal reports of sex differences in computer access, interest, and use in the school-aged population. In the first study, a survey of 87 middle and upper income students in grades 5 to 8 revealed that more boys than girls owned home microcomputers and that use of the home computer also differed by gender.…

Developed to guide the research of the Educational Technology Center, a consortium based at Harvard Graduate School of Education, this report addresses the use of new information technologies to enrich, extend, and transform current instructional practice in science, mathematics, and computer education. A discussion of the basic elements required…

Confirmatory factor analysis (LISREL VI) is the method best suited to the comparison of measurement models when those models are based on a priori assumptions. Traditionally, positive and negative item stems were mixed on affective scales to reduce response set bias since the item pairs were considered to be parallel. Recent studies indicate that…

A questionnaire, designed to assess attitudes and anxiety levels, was administered to 96 Maine Cooperative Extension personnel prior to receiving computer training. For these workers, no age, sex, or job level relationships to attitudes about computers were found. Perceptions of one's ability in math did predict positive attitudes. (JHZ)