Proquest Dissertations
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Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higtier quality 6” x 9” t>lack and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional cfiarge. Contact UMI directly to order. Bell & Howell Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Roed, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 UMT TAIWANESE-AMERICAN COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS AS FACIUTATORS OF THEIR CHILDREN'S WEBPAGE CREATION DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Yu-Lin Fang, M S. The Ohio State University 2000 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Dr. William D. Taylor, Adviser Dr. Suzanne K. D am arin Dr. Shelley D. W ong Adviser College of Education School of Educational Policy and Leadership UMI Number 9962393 UMI UMI Microform9962393 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Leaming Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Copyright by Yu-Lin Fang 2000 ABSTRACT This research investigated how a group of Taiwanese-American parents facilitated their children's leaming to create their Web pages at home. The participants are children and their parents. All the young children participating are Taiwanese Americans bom in the United States. At least one of each set of parents immigrated from Taiwan. In six stories, I explored the ways that the parents assisted their children in developing Web pages, and the participants' attitudes toward the World Wide Web and Web design. Qualitative case study methods guided this study. The techniques of data collection included a grounded survey, interviews, participant observation, journals, and audio- and videotaping. A dual perspective, compatible to a socio-cultural perspective, grounded in Vygotsky's idea of a "zone of proximal development" and the ideas of Confucius aided my analysis of the data. This research finds that these Taiwanese parents were good facilitators in this Web activity, capably guiding their young children into development of their Web pages. Some positive facilitating factors such as approval, reassurance, patience, and personal concern are found in the fam ily context. A Web page design activity can obviously provide the family with a chance to become more u aware of its own learning culture, while allowing the young children to exercise m ore control over their leam ing process. There seems to be a relationship between the parents' personal attitude toward the Web and the way in which they served as facilitators. The more positive the attitude of the parent, the more enjoyment the parents and the children displayed during the Web design process. In addition, these Taiwanese-American parents, to a certain degree, have high educational expectations of their children's performance not only in schoolwork but also in any leaming activity. m Dedicated to my parents and my dear grandmother who nursed me for 18 years and passed away on April 20,1998 IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am convinced that I am a person with luck. There are always many people supporting me, especially during the period at OSU. I have so many professors and hiends I wish to thank, but first, I want to thank God. W ithout his protection and blessings, I would not have survived a car accident and completed my dissertation in the time I had expected. I would like to extend my special thanks to Dr. Taylor, my advisor, who has provided me with inspiration, encouragement, and strong support. He has spent many hours debriefing the data with me and reading the various drafts. To Dr. Damarin, I express my gratitude for her generous assistance. To Dr. Wong, I wish to express my thanks for her thoughtful suggestions concerning my research perspective and the literature review of Chinese-American parenting. To the parents and the children who participated in this research, I give my thanks them for their cooperation and consideration. It was so joyful to work with them and observe their processes of Web pages development. Thanks for allowing me to put their Web pages in the appendices. Those will be part of my beautiful m em ory. To my writing group, my appreciation goes to Dr. Unice Teasley who has been working with me as a peer debriefer and writing counselor since my dissertation proposal. Thanks to Dan Schmitmeyer and Kathi Bennett who helped me illustrate my ideas and always made time available for me when I needed proofreaders. My thanks also to Yao-Li Lee who shared her experience of being a Chinese-American teacher and examined my English translation. To my support group, I express gratitude to Karen Keys-Qock, Philip Liou and Donny Chang for showing warm support. Finally, I deeply appreciate for my parents, Jion-Ben Fang and Lian-Ze Fang-Chang, who have been a source of strength and support throughout my graduate school career. Additionally, I especially thank my nine-year-old nephew Peter Fang. He has been asking the same question for three years — "When will you come home?" His question has become a motivation for the completion of my dissertation. VI VITA M arch 8,1964 ................................................Bom —Tainan, Taiwan Jxily 1986 .........................................................B_A. French, TamKang University, Taipei, Taiwan June 1989 ....................................................... M.S., C urriculum and Instruction, College of Education University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon, USA January-September, 1998 ...........................Graduate Teaching Assistant Department of Policy and Leadership College of Education The Ohio State University September, 1989-present ............................Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences National Open University, Taiwan PUBUCATIONS Research Publication 1. Fang, H.T. (1990). Design an d execution of sim ulation games. Journal of Business and Management. 3 2 .91-110. Taipei, Taiwan: National Jong-Shing University. vu 2. Fang, H.T. (1994). Teaching speech com m unication in the Junior high school in Taiwan: An instructional design approach. Tournai of Social Sciences, 2. 1-38. Taipei, Taiwan: National Open University. 3. Fang, H.T. (1994). The m essage design of educational radio program . Tournai of Humanities, 3.60-82. Taipei, Taiwan: National Open University. 4. Fang, Y.L. (1995). The leam ing strategies of designing educational TV program. Tournai of Distance Education, 7 .73-91. Taipei, Taiwan: National Open University. 5. Fang, Y.L. (1995). T raining for workers and staff of cable TV, Tournai of Social Sciences, 3,125-157. Taipei, Taiwan: National Open University. 6. Fang, Y.L. (1999). Y oung children and com puters: Major concerns and potential benefits. Tournai of Social Sciences, 7,93-116. Taipei, Taiwan: National Open University. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Education Areas: Cultural Studies in Education Early Childhood Education vm TABLE O F CONTENTS Page Abstract................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .............................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................ v Vita..........................................................................................................................................vii List of Tables........................................................................................................................jciii List of Figures......................................................................................................................xiv Chapters: 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................... 1 Background of the study ...............................................................................................1 Research questions ......................................................................................................... 4 A dual perspective ......................................................................................................... 5 The zone of proximal development .....................................................................6 Ideas of