Home PublicationsJRTEPast IssuesVolume 30 Number 4

formerly Journal of Research on Computing in Education

Volume 30 Number 4 Summer 1998

Table of Contents

Children’s Use of Narrative and Graphical nformation in a Database: Recommendations for Development

Kerry Freedman & Greg Sales, 329

Effects of Hypermedia Versus Traditional Instruction on Students’ Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

Yuen-kuang Cliff Liao, 341

An Exploration of Primary School Educational Software from the Ministry of Education of Mexico: A Thinking Skills Perspective

Bertha Salinas, Mirna Cedeño, Jorge Márquez, & Rigoberto León, 360

An Evaluation of Technology Integration in Teacher Education for Bilingual and English as a Second Language Education Majors

Keith Wetzel &Ines Chisholm, 379

A Case Study on Technology Use in Distance Learning

Ping Zhang, 398

Relationships Among Computer Self-Efficacy, Attitudes Toward Computers, and Desirability of Learning Computing Skills

Yixin Zhang & Sue Espinoza, 420

Abstract
A qualitative study of elementary students’ use of a database and interface was conducted to develop recommendations concerning the design of databases for young children. The database included pictures and written information about animals of the northern United States, and the interface was heavily dependent on graphics and voice-overs. Twenty-two elementary school students participated in the study. Based on the results of the study, 10 recommendations were established to aid in the development of databases for young children.

Abstract
A meta-analysis was performed to synthesize existing research comparing the effects of hypermedia and traditional instruction on students’ achievement. Thirty-five studies were located from three sources, and their quantitative data were transformed into effect size (ES). The overall grand mean of the study-weighted ES for all 35 studies was 0.48. In addition, 3 of the 17 variables selected for this study (instructor bias, type of research design, and type of delivery system) had a statistically significant impact on the mean ES. The results from this study suggest that the effects of using hypermedia in instruction are positive when compared to the effects of traditional instruction. The results of this study also provide classroom teachers with accumulated research-based evidence for positive outcomes of using technology in instruction.

Abstract
This article forms part of an extensive investigation, the general purpose of which is to analyze and evaluate educational software (ESW) and its use in Mexican schools. The study reported here was carried out from March 1995 to March 1996 in official primary schools participating in the Educational Computing Program of the Ministry of Public Education (Secretaría de Educación Pública or SEP) of the state of Puebla. The article reports on the exploratory evaluation study, which analyzed 24 programs to determine the extent to which they promote the development of thinking skills; using instruments designed to evaluate (a) the structure of the ESW, (b) the relationship of child to the ESW, (c) the actions of the teacher using the ESW in the classroom, and (d) the findings of the study.

Abstract
This article describes the team-planning, delivery, and evaluation of two courses required for English as a second language (ESL) and bilingual education (BLE) majors: Computers in Education and Language Arts Methods. The study revealed that technology was embedded in the context of language arts and that beginning teachers gained confidence in their ability to integrate technology into ESL and BLE language arts classrooms. Although beginning teachers perceived the course objectives as valuable, they reported that they had not completely achieved the objectives. Recommended course changes are discussed.

Abstract
This article reports a study on the actual use of technologies in a graduate-level distance course on information systems analysis and design. The results indicate four conclusions. First, commonly used Internet technologies (e.g., e-mail, Web, FTP, listserv, and IRC) and traditional technologies (e.g., mail, telephone, and fax) are sufficient for delivering a rather technical and hands-on distance course. Second, among these technologies, fax was the favorite method for submitting assignments, and e-mail was the most used method for communications and dialogues. Third, communication related to the submission of assignments accounted for an outstanding proportion of all e-mail messages. And fourth, minimal control of technology use helped the instructor and the students focus on the subject matters, and students achieved high learning performance and satisfaction. Implications for distance education are discussed.

Abstract
Attitudes toward computers, computer self-efficacy, and commitment of learning computing skills have been recognized as important factors to assist college students in acquiring computer technologies. However, little research has been done on the combination of these factors. This study investigated the relationships among computer self-efficacy, attitudes toward computers, and desirability of learning computing skills. Three hypotheses were tested using the Attitudes Toward Computer Technologies (Delcourt & Kinzie, 1993) and Confidence and Desired Knowledge with Computer Technologies (Murphy, Coover, & Owen, 1989) measures. Statistical analyses consisted of bivariate correlations and simultaneous multiple regression. The findings included that comfort or anxiety about computers perceived by students predicted their confidence levels about computers. Students’ self-recognition of usefulness of computers and their perception of advanced levels of computer technologies were significant predictors in deciding their desirability of learning computing skills.

A PDF file of each full article is available. Contact: jrte@iste.org. Please specifiy Volume and Issue number.

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