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DOCUMENTAESUME . ED 191 712 SE 031 937 AUTHOR Klassenm Daniel L.: And Others TITLE A Study of Computer Use and Literacy in Science Education. Final Report, 1978- 1980. ,INSTITUTION Minnesota Educational Coiputing Consoitium, St. Paul. SPONS AGENCY liational Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. PUP DATE ' BO .GRANT NSF-SED-77-18658 NOTE 208P.: Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document. Appendices A, C, and G removed due to copyright restrictions. Appendix F missing from document prior to its being shipped to EDRS for filming'. () EDPS PRICE MF01 Plus Postage. PC, Not Available from HDRS. DESCRIPTORS *Computer. ASsisted Instruction: *Computer Oriented Programs; Computer Pr-Cgrams; Computers,: *Computer Science Education: *SCience Education; Secondary.' Education: Secondary/School Science ABSTRACT This research projectas designed to provide information which will be of assistance to science educators responsible for and interested in the development,,implementationand evaluation of educational.programs and courses designedto foSter, computer literacy'. A questionnaire concerning computeruse in"the classroom vas answered by 3,576 science teachers: The data fromthe guesticnnaire demonstrate that teachers strongly support minimal understanding,cf computers and their sccietal role forevery secondary school student and that they generally feel positive about the value cf computers in education. Responses of the 929 students who had been exposed to instructional computing activities" demonstrated significant gains in both affective and cognitive dimensicns of computer literacy. (Author/DS) **********..************************************************************* Reproductionssupplied by EDRSare the best that can be made * * from the original doCument. * *********************************************************************** AA. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. v 'EDUCATION a WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF .... EDUCATION C' .,. .. .t.i'I. DOCUMEt8if.,HAS BEEN RE.PRO- 7DLIC00 EXACTLY' AS RECEIVED,FROM j'' PERSON OR $RGANIZAOION ORIGIN-P A ,QAT,P.piNT OF VIEW OR OPINIONS ttp-dNOT NIADESSARILY REPRE- ..' FFIZIAg. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF .TION-. POSITION OR POLICY '..4,.'. - .1 1; Vo' A STUDY OF COMPUTER USE AND LITERACY'S IBDUCATION. 4 C:1 Final Report '1978 - 1980 ,Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium 2520 Broadway Drive St. Paul, Minnesota 55113 / 1980. Supported by. Grant No. SED 77-18658 from the'National Science Foundation to the Special Projects Division ofthe Minnesota ,, Educational Computing Consortium. r- . al Any opinions, findings, conclusionsor recomMendatiOns expressed t,- in this publication are those of theauthors and do not necessarily -... reflect the view of the National Science Foundation. CI tZ) JUL15 ISO ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1. ibis project has involved the active participation and,support of nearly 5,030 students and 4,000 teachers,as well as many sc 1 administrators, state education agency personnel, computer educators, om throughout the country and consultants. We would like to express o *best thanks to all of these individuals. Without them it would have ',.ompossible to successfully complete a.project of this magnitude and d pion. We , Mi would especially like to, thank the studentsand teachers who partici- . pated in the field study anetheexperiment. In addition to the Minnesota students andteachers, we want to thank the following individualswho helpedus in important and substantialways: Or. David Tinsley of Birmingham, England;Dr. Lud Braun of the State University of New YOrk\at Stony Brook; Dr. JudyEdwards orkthe Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory; Dr. TomLiao of the -State'University of New. York at Stony; Brook;: Dr. Phil Reeseof the State University of New York-at Stony Brdok; Dr! Mike-Niell of the University of Oregon; . Dr. Mark Davison of the\University ofMinnesota; Dr. Ed Andersen of 'Southwest High School in,Minneapolis; and Beverly,Hunter of the Human Resources Research Organizationin Alexandria, Virginia. We also wish to thank those individuas that reviewedour computer literacy objectives and the Minnesota Educational ComputingConsortium's inst yfctional coordinators for-their help. Karl Krohn, Barb Davis, Mark Sulzbach,Linda Harris, Scott Wilcoxson and Or.-Rithard Sandman assisted thepro4ect-team. We would ,like to thank thenifor their hard work /and dedicationto the project. Dr. Andrew Molnar of the Natclonal Science Foundationserved as our project officer.. He provided support andadvice along with a keen interest in the topic:We thank him for this We also.lwish to thank the National Stience Foundation f'or its .financial support of this project. / Finally, we would/like to thank the clerical staffthat did all of the important 'organizational,ctyping, filing and othernecessary tasks. Thanks to Robin,Jokela, Pat Ferrazzo, MarionColfler.and,Harriet Anderson. A special tribute goes to Harriet Andersonwho was with us for the majority of this effort and whotyped this report. Without her-this project oul,,d have been-much less pleasant. I .The Project Team Daniel L..Klassen, Project Directo \Ronald E. Anderson, ProjectCo-Director /Thomas P. Hansen, ResearchAssociate (David C. Johnson, FacultyAssociate CONTENTS' ...... -.-.. ... A SURVEY OF COMPUfER.pstAND LITERACY- IN SCIENCE7EDUCATION References 9 COMPUTER LITERACY:\TOWARD AN EMPIRICAL DEFINITION. 10 References 23 , -.A SURVEY OF INSTRUCTIONAL. ACTIVITIES 1N MINNESOTA SCHOOLS,... 25 Method 26 . Results, - - . ... .. .-"' Summary A FIELD STUDY ON 11 IMPACT:OF SCHOOL 'COMPUTING ACTIVITIES. ON: STUDENT ATTITUDES. AND KNOWLEDGE, . .. ... .... Computer Lite-racy Objectives 39 The Computer. Literacy Questionnaire .42 Alternative Instructional ComputingApproaches Data Collection 52 Results DiSCUSSi Qt1....... ... ...... ..... ..... 79 Conclusion v 83 -AN EXPERIMENT' IN COMPLITER LITERACY AS A CONSEQUENCE 'OF CAI. 85 The Instructional. Packageon Water Pollution 88 ilethod 97 dr. Scal es and ;Tests 100 Results 105 Discus.siOn Concl us i on 118 References 121 123. APPENDICES , . Appendix A "Instructional ComOUting: Acceptance and. Rejection. lij,-,SeCondary School Teachers" . Appendix B-.- "The _Computer :*sticiue" Appendix C --"Computer Literacy- What' Is It?". Appendix a--"A Survey About Education and Computing" ApPendfx -E7-Computer 'Li teracy, Questi onnai APOehdix F-7"The Minnesota Computer Literacy Tests: A Technical Igeport" .1 4 c Appendfx G "Computer Litercy ourses Course/Unit Activity Log-and Participant.Questionnaire SURVEY oF CONPUTER USE AND LITERACY. 'IN.SCIENCE:EDUCATIOR; Chapter 1 ASTUDY, OF COMPUTER USE ANDAITERCY. IN SCIENCE EDUCAIAN Introduction Cotpdters are rapjdly,becoming a doininant,technoTogfCaT forO 'in American society. It is, An fact.ve y unlikely that the average Amekcan- N. e citizenwillbe able 'toretain'UntauCed by' t,he'apresence and influence of this peryasive teChnolpgy inthe y 'art to come. This trend has not 'gdne unnotice within -the educatilval establish"- mentand the need for. an appropriatedUcational response has been .sounded with increasing frequency._ S me go so far as to suggest that "ignciranCe:Occiiiikters:WiTlreaderp ppl,e functionally illitey4te_as does ignorance of reading, writing , anJUl arithmetic" (Michael 1968, and that educational remediet are imperative. While .univeragreemeWOn the heed to educate all-students about computers and computer uses has not been reached,agrowing number eduCators believe that all students shbuld be provided with.:educational oppOrtunities which will.allow them to become:cOrriputer literate, . As the belief in the need to educate future citizens in the operation, use and impact of computers gains support in .educational circles and within the pubiic-at-large, it is beComing increasingly 'cleaF-that science educators in our nation's schools will .be called upin .t8provid guidance for the development of computer oriented educationalprograms, and courses; and to provide the necessary learning opportunities and resources. The teaching of .science in American schools has tradititn,- ally, been carried on for three basic reasons: (1) to prepare scholars in the various disciplines of science, 12) to provide the background and training required of individualsenteringtechnological occupations and 7, professions .and (3) to provideoi backgroUnd in science and technology as.a part of the general education of 'the individW for effective , 4 ' ' citizenship. Education for citizenship in a computer 'society is an important motive.behind,the Current growth in. the Use and studyof .-, -compUters in American sChoolS. and ai(SUch=,'PlYcescomputer, literacy.:, .. r .) clearly within the fraMework of science,edUtation . This re5earCh..project was undertaken In order top ovide information which willqe of assistance to 'science educators.responsible for and r :interested:in:the development,implemitation and evaluation of educational progrv s,,,and courses designed_to foster- computerliteracy. Since the . $ development of,J instructionaj: ,'programs -designed to promote computer 9. ljtgracy at the pre-college level is in it infancy, we felt it important # , 1 to collect baAeline data regarding studenfInowledge and understanding of computers which-could be used to'help".shape effective educational , :programs. Just as'no medical doctor would prescribe a treatment without first'maling a diagnOsis, we believe that science educators need to know what students know and feel about' computers in order toprepare and Impleileni effective educational programs.1----:-- In,-addition