A strategy for promoting the use of computers across the curriculum at primary school level: a case study
- Authors: Heukelman, Delene
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Education, Elementary -- Computer programs Computers and children Education, Elementary -- Data processing Computer-assisted instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003659
- Description: A growing number of primary schools are acquiring computers, mainly through parent funding. The study concerns the promotion of computer use across the curriculum in primary schools. Teachers need to be trained in the use of computers as a teaching aid in different subjects. A study comparing two periods of training was undertaken. Two model C primary schools, administered by the Department of Education and Culture, with similar profiles of educational computer use, were selected for the purpose. A training course consisting of five sections, where the use of the word processor, spreadsheet and database, both as personal tools and as teaching aids were introduced, was offered. Care was taken to select topics from current syllabi and to demonstrate how these topics could be presented and enhanced by using the computer. The training was presented at school A over a period of 8 months and at school B over a period of 5 weeks. The supporting material and contents of the course were the same for both groups. A comparison between the effectiveness of the two training regimes was made. The researcher's initial perceptions of the teachers' initial low level of computer literacy were confirmed by a questionnaire, responded to by each participant. It would seem that the shorter raining period was more effective in raising the level of computer literacy and that if the training period was longer, the contact time should be increased to maintain support. Neither training period resulted in a significant increase in computer use, either as a personal tool or as a teaching aid. The failure to do so may be ascribed to a number of influences, one of which is the teaching style of individual teachers. Changing the teaching style of an experienced teacher takes time and more effort than was available for either training period.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
- Authors: Heukelman, Delene
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Education, Elementary -- Computer programs Computers and children Education, Elementary -- Data processing Computer-assisted instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003659
- Description: A growing number of primary schools are acquiring computers, mainly through parent funding. The study concerns the promotion of computer use across the curriculum in primary schools. Teachers need to be trained in the use of computers as a teaching aid in different subjects. A study comparing two periods of training was undertaken. Two model C primary schools, administered by the Department of Education and Culture, with similar profiles of educational computer use, were selected for the purpose. A training course consisting of five sections, where the use of the word processor, spreadsheet and database, both as personal tools and as teaching aids were introduced, was offered. Care was taken to select topics from current syllabi and to demonstrate how these topics could be presented and enhanced by using the computer. The training was presented at school A over a period of 8 months and at school B over a period of 5 weeks. The supporting material and contents of the course were the same for both groups. A comparison between the effectiveness of the two training regimes was made. The researcher's initial perceptions of the teachers' initial low level of computer literacy were confirmed by a questionnaire, responded to by each participant. It would seem that the shorter raining period was more effective in raising the level of computer literacy and that if the training period was longer, the contact time should be increased to maintain support. Neither training period resulted in a significant increase in computer use, either as a personal tool or as a teaching aid. The failure to do so may be ascribed to a number of influences, one of which is the teaching style of individual teachers. Changing the teaching style of an experienced teacher takes time and more effort than was available for either training period.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
Computer assisted language learning for academic development programmes : an appraisal of needs, resources and approaches
- Authors: Collett, Philip Godfrey
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: English language -- Computer-assisted instruction Language arts -- Computer-assisted instruction Language acquisition Computers and literacy English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers Computer-assisted instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1457 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003338
- Description: A major objective of Academic Development Programmes is to support the student in acquiring a level of language competence which is sufficient to enable the student to cope with the linguistic demands of academic courses. Language teaching programmes in the Academic Development context in South Africa suffer from a number of constraints: staffing, time on task, relevance, and difficulty of integration with learning in other coUrses. A review of developments in the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) shows that computers can be used to support language learning. CALL materials range from simple instructional programs to powerful linguistic research tools and need to be integrated into wider language programmes so as to support and enhance other teaching and learning activities. However, relatively little research has been done to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of CALL in language development courses within Academic Development programmes in South Africa. The development of a system designed to enable students to practise proof-reading and editing is described and evaluated. Suggestions are made for using this system with other CALL materials within a computer assisted language development environment. It is argued that CALL can be used feasibly and effectively in this environment to enhance learning and to counteract constraints.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
- Authors: Collett, Philip Godfrey
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: English language -- Computer-assisted instruction Language arts -- Computer-assisted instruction Language acquisition Computers and literacy English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers Computer-assisted instruction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1457 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003338
- Description: A major objective of Academic Development Programmes is to support the student in acquiring a level of language competence which is sufficient to enable the student to cope with the linguistic demands of academic courses. Language teaching programmes in the Academic Development context in South Africa suffer from a number of constraints: staffing, time on task, relevance, and difficulty of integration with learning in other coUrses. A review of developments in the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) shows that computers can be used to support language learning. CALL materials range from simple instructional programs to powerful linguistic research tools and need to be integrated into wider language programmes so as to support and enhance other teaching and learning activities. However, relatively little research has been done to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of CALL in language development courses within Academic Development programmes in South Africa. The development of a system designed to enable students to practise proof-reading and editing is described and evaluated. Suggestions are made for using this system with other CALL materials within a computer assisted language development environment. It is argued that CALL can be used feasibly and effectively in this environment to enhance learning and to counteract constraints.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
A critical analysis of school computer studies syllabuses in South Africa with reference to university computer science curricula
- Authors: Roets, Rina Annette
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Electronic data processing -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa Electronic data processing -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa Electronic data processing -- Curricula -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1471 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003352
- Description: This thesis analyses the existing and proposed Computer Studies syllabuses in South African schools. Thereafter it compares the South African syllabuses with syllabuses in the United Kingdom. An attempt is made to assess the objectives of the design of the new S.A. syllabus. University Computer Science syllabuses are examined in order to gauge the purported overlap between what is taught at schools and universities. Opinions are obtained on the problems which apparently exist in offering or teaching the subject at schools and universities by conducting surveys on syllabus designers and university Computer Science departments. Finally recommendations are made for future Computer Studies syllabuses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
- Authors: Roets, Rina Annette
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Electronic data processing -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa Electronic data processing -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa Electronic data processing -- Curricula -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1471 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003352
- Description: This thesis analyses the existing and proposed Computer Studies syllabuses in South African schools. Thereafter it compares the South African syllabuses with syllabuses in the United Kingdom. An attempt is made to assess the objectives of the design of the new S.A. syllabus. University Computer Science syllabuses are examined in order to gauge the purported overlap between what is taught at schools and universities. Opinions are obtained on the problems which apparently exist in offering or teaching the subject at schools and universities by conducting surveys on syllabus designers and university Computer Science departments. Finally recommendations are made for future Computer Studies syllabuses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
A strategy for promoting computer literacy in staff and students of a teacher training institution : a case study
- Authors: Keep, Joan Diane
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Computer literacy Computer-assisted instruction Teachers -- Training of -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1773 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003658
- Description: A case study carried out at Edgewood College of Education (Natal) attempted to demonstrate how in-house training could provide staff with the necessary computer literacy skills to integrate computer technology into lecturing and teaching programmes. The duration of the project was six months and during this time a group of thirty academic staff members were exposed to computer technology via practical experience, lectures and demonstrations. The results gleaned from the project show that most of the staff involved in the project developed sufficient computer skills to be of benefit in their professional and personal tasks. In addition the recognition of the value of word processing and desk top publishing led to the staff encouraging students to use these software packages in the preparation of coursework. Consequently the use of the computer resources increased noticeably in the six month period. One of the goals of the study was to show how staff, once computer literate, would make use of generic software to integrate computer technology into their lecturing programmes. This did not happen and the reasons for this failure are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
- Authors: Keep, Joan Diane
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Computer literacy Computer-assisted instruction Teachers -- Training of -- Data processing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1773 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003658
- Description: A case study carried out at Edgewood College of Education (Natal) attempted to demonstrate how in-house training could provide staff with the necessary computer literacy skills to integrate computer technology into lecturing and teaching programmes. The duration of the project was six months and during this time a group of thirty academic staff members were exposed to computer technology via practical experience, lectures and demonstrations. The results gleaned from the project show that most of the staff involved in the project developed sufficient computer skills to be of benefit in their professional and personal tasks. In addition the recognition of the value of word processing and desk top publishing led to the staff encouraging students to use these software packages in the preparation of coursework. Consequently the use of the computer resources increased noticeably in the six month period. One of the goals of the study was to show how staff, once computer literate, would make use of generic software to integrate computer technology into their lecturing programmes. This did not happen and the reasons for this failure are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
Educational computing in secondary schools of the Cape Education Department: a research survey to assess computing facility acquisition and its utilization
- Authors: Bean, Pat
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Education, Secondary -- South Africa -- Data processing Education, Secondary -- South Africa -- Computer network resources Computer-assisted instruction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1505 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003387
- Description: Secondary schools under the jurisdiction of the Cape Education Department (CED) have, over the past 10 years, been acquiring computer equipment without a national policy on educational computing in South Africa, and within only broad parameters provided by their department. The aim of this study was to determine the present status of educational computing in these schools. A literature survey on educational computing was undertaken and a number of international and local 'computers-in-schools' initiatives were elucidated. A field survey, involving all CED secondary schools (239), was initiated by sending questionnaires to principals of these schools - a return rate of 89% was achieved. The results of the research revealed that most CED secondary schools have already acquired computer facilities. The role of pressure groups such as teachers, parents, business sector etc together with other factors that might have influenced schools in acquiring their computer facilities was also investigated. The investigation also revealed where and how these facilities are being utilised: most schools use their computers for administrative functions, with the computer-as-a-tool for teachers and pupils also fast gaining ground. Computer-assisted learning activities, where the computer is integrated with subject curricula, are however still limited. The extent of both teachers' formal training in educational computing and their familiarity with different software applications were also determined. Schools were also required to indicate the areas where they experience problems in getting teachers and pupils more involved in 'computers-in-education' activities. The present educational computing position in secondary schools of the CED will have to serve as a foundation for the department's CISR Project embarked upon in 1991.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
- Authors: Bean, Pat
- Date: 1992
- Subjects: Education, Secondary -- South Africa -- Data processing Education, Secondary -- South Africa -- Computer network resources Computer-assisted instruction -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1505 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003387
- Description: Secondary schools under the jurisdiction of the Cape Education Department (CED) have, over the past 10 years, been acquiring computer equipment without a national policy on educational computing in South Africa, and within only broad parameters provided by their department. The aim of this study was to determine the present status of educational computing in these schools. A literature survey on educational computing was undertaken and a number of international and local 'computers-in-schools' initiatives were elucidated. A field survey, involving all CED secondary schools (239), was initiated by sending questionnaires to principals of these schools - a return rate of 89% was achieved. The results of the research revealed that most CED secondary schools have already acquired computer facilities. The role of pressure groups such as teachers, parents, business sector etc together with other factors that might have influenced schools in acquiring their computer facilities was also investigated. The investigation also revealed where and how these facilities are being utilised: most schools use their computers for administrative functions, with the computer-as-a-tool for teachers and pupils also fast gaining ground. Computer-assisted learning activities, where the computer is integrated with subject curricula, are however still limited. The extent of both teachers' formal training in educational computing and their familiarity with different software applications were also determined. Schools were also required to indicate the areas where they experience problems in getting teachers and pupils more involved in 'computers-in-education' activities. The present educational computing position in secondary schools of the CED will have to serve as a foundation for the department's CISR Project embarked upon in 1991.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1992
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