Table Of ContentDOCUMENT RESUME
ED 377 822
IR 016 938
AUTHOR
White, Daniel C.
Improving the Student's Use of Computers within the
TITLE
Middle School Curriculum through a Multi-Faceted
Approach of Increased Computer Accessibility and
Varied Teaching/Learning Strategies.
PUB DATE
93
NOTE
99p.; Doctoral Practicum Report, Nova University.
PUB TYPE
Dissertations/Theses
Practicum Papers (043)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Cognitive Development; Competence; Computer Assisted
Instruction; *Computer Literacy; *Computer Uses in
Education; *Curriculum Development; Elementary School
Teachers; *Grants; *Inservice Teacher Education;
Intermediate Grades; Junior High Schools;
Laboratories; Learning Strategies; Middle Schools;
*Peer Teaching; Problem Solving; Secondary School
Teachers; Thinking Skills
ABSTRACT
Middle school students are failing to connect what is
learned in computer classes to other subject areas of the school's
curriculum. Teachers, who often lack basic computer knowledge, are
not encouraging computer use, and a Jack of computer accessibility
and appropriate software compound the problem. A practicum was
(1) move the school's computer lab to a more accessible
designed to:
(2) conduct teacher inservice training in different aspects of
area;
technology and its application to various subject areas;
(3) write
grants for additional computers;
(4) review and rewrite middle school
technology curriculum; and (5) establish cooperative and peer
tutoring groups within the computer lab. After implementation,
computer lab utilization (hours used) by students and teachers
increased 30%. Four out of 16 grants written were approved (a 400%
increase), and students demonstrated an average competency skills
rating of 75%. The training was well-received by the staff and their
technology use skills increased.. Eight appendices include a staff
questionnaire related to educational technology, student post-tests,
teacher evaluations of inservices, a map of a proposed move of the
computer lab, agendas for inservice training, a checklist of
observations in the computer lab, the technology curriculum, and the
administrative response to inservices. (Contains 16 references.)
(MAS)
***************************************1.:.****:,AA:..
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
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U S DEPARTMENT OF EDOCAT .ON
OHM, of E ducahonal Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RE SOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER IERICI
L This oocument has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating .1
Minor changes have Peen made to improve
reproduction qualihr
CV
N
Points of view or oor.ons slated ,nth+sticcu
3
event do not necessarily represent oftic.al
OF RI position or poky
Improving The Student's Use Of Computers Within
CI
The Middle School Curriculum Through A
Multi-Faceted Approach Of
Increased Computer Accessibility And
Varied Teaching/Learning Strategies
by
Daniel C. White
Cluster XLII
Report presented to the Ed.D Program
A Practicum
I
in Early and Middle Childhood in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education
NOVA UNIVERSITY
1993
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
Daniel C. White
4.,
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
PRACTICUM APPROVAL SHEET
This practicum took place as described.
I
I
Verifier:
(
Lc.
z../1
Brad Hamilton
Principal, Addison Middle School
Title
Addison, Michigan
49220
Address
April
1993
2,
Date
This practicum report was submitted by Daniel C. White under
It was submitted to the
the direction of the adviser listed below.
Ed.D. Program in Early and Middle Childhood and approved in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Education. at Nova University.
Approved:
Date of Final Approval
Dr. G.H. Lowen
of Report
i i
Acknowledgements
One ctraw_s_strength. and encouragement_ frarn _many_ sources_
I
to take this time to thank those who gave a little
would like
of
themselves that
might succeed.
I
thank my Lord Jesus Christ who said, "Seek ye first the
I
I put
kingdom of God and all other things will be added unto you."
If
Him first in my life and follow his commandments, he will hear my
called upon him for strength and endurance, He
prayers.
When
I
answered me abundantly and I was truly blessed.
Josephine and Adam, were very
patient and
My family,
They were supportive of my goals and ambitions,
understanding.
would like to
while enduring my time away from family matters.
I
thank them for their love and steadfastness with regards to my
schooling and this practicum.
Mr. Brad Hamilton, my supervisor, has always been available to
share ideas and offer encouragement.
Without his support and
would never have attempted this task.
direction,
I
would like to thank Ms. Karen Yager, our school secretary,
I
with me to
who worked
proofread and
patiently
retype
the
Her technical assistance was extremely valuable.
practicum.
My advisor, Georgianna Lowen, would direct me and guide me
should have been able to read the same thing in the practicum
when I
Thanks for your encouragement and your constructive
guide.
criticism.
Daniel C. White
iii
TABLE Or (1,":TENTS
TABLE OF CO':TTS
LIST.OF TABLES
LIST OF FI(=S
Chapter
INTRODrCTIO!'
Description of T:nr!: Settinc and Community
T.:Titer's 'ork Settinc: and Role
STUD' OF THE 'ROBI:"
5
It
Problem Description
5
'oroblem Documentation
1!
Causative Analysis
Aterature
13
.
.
Relationship of the Problem to C-
.
:STRT'"ENTS
17
ANTICIPATED OUT:' TS AND EvALTTATION
.
17
('-oals
Expected Outcomes
1'1
19
easurement of Outcomes
SOLUTION STRATEr'Y
IT?
Discussion and Evaluation of Solutions
25
Description of Selected Solution
2-;
'Report of Action Taken
31
RESULTS, DISCUSSION, ANT) RECO`!"ENDATIONS
1.7
Results
Discussion
Recommendations
Dissemination
RPrERE"CES
Appendices
STATE OrESTI.-NNAIRE 0N EDUCATI0NAL TECHnLOcv
A
STUDENT EVALUATIONS
3
5n
TEACHER EI:ALUA-ToN 7nR ALL. TSER.:ICES
C
!IAP OF PROPOSED '07E 07 CO"PFTER LAB
53
D
AGENDAS FOR INSET'ICc
55
E
CHECKLIST FOR OBSERVATIONS IN THE Cn"D"T7R T.k3
75
FOUR STRANDS OF COMPUTER EDUCATION - ADDISON '5IDDLE
n
SCHOOL CURRICULUm
ADMINISTRATIE RESPONSE TO INSERVICES
30
6
LIST 117 L\3LES
Da.10
Table
Results o
Staf.: ,'..,?st:n:laire on Educational Tec!Inologv
8
1
LIST OF 71r-RES
71..:ure
cirs .....
Results of 1990-=)1
C:77v.iter L.i
1
11
Prlctium
Connutor Lab Hours
Goals and Result
2
.
vi
ABSTRACT
Within the Middle School
Improving the Students' Use of Computers
Increased
of
Approach
Multi-Facetted
Through
Curriculum
a
Strategies.
Teaching / Learning
Computer Accessibility and Varied
Practicum Report, Nova University, Ed. D.
White, Daniel C., 1992:
Inservice
Education.
Childhood
Early and
Middle
Program
in
Education/Computer
School
Learning/Middle
Training/Cooperative
Education/Curriculum
efficient
This practicum was designed
use,
improve
the
by
to
of a small middle school,
of computers
students and staff
in
a
This goal was
the core curriculum.
problem-solving capacity
in
based upon increased computer accessibility, review of the -student
outcomes and technology curriculum and teacher training.
The writer coordinated the move of the school's computer lab from
another, conducted teacher inservice
one location
training
to
in
technology and
application
different
various
aspects
its
of
to
subject areas, wrote grants for increased numbers of computers,
reviewed and rewrote
middle school technology
curriculum,
the
groups within
established
tutoring
cooperative
the
peer
and
computer lab.
Analysis- of the computer lab utilization records and observations by
the writer and his principal indicated that both teachers and
students increased their use of computers in the various core
Following the teacher inservice training,
curriculum classrooms.
in the use of .3chnology.
the teachers exhibited an increase of skills
With the changes in the computer lab and instruction, the students
displayed an increase in confidence in their technlogical skills
.
Permission Statement
As a student in the Ed. D. Program in Early and Middle Childhood,
do (X) do not
give permission to Nova University to distribute
(
)
I
request
copies
interested
this practicum
report
from
of
on
is my understanding that Nova University
individuals.
will
not
It
for
dissemination
this
charge cost
cover
except
the
of
to
microfiching, handling and mailing or the mate ials.
Ca
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Description of W r
Community
A small
the Midwest
district
rural
school
work
the
in
is
setting of the writer of the practicum.
The district covers parts of
different counties, drawing most of
three
students from
this
:ts
large country
The district
surrounded by four
location.
large
is
lakes.
These lakes maintain homesites valued in the hundreds of
thousands
dollars.
of
sprinkled
However,
along
agrarian
the
countryside are a number of mobile homes and poor dirt
farm
homesteads.
The city
which the school
are located
facilities
in
very
is
small, about six hundred residents.
the largest
However.
it
is
community within
The school
district.
district
the
itself
the
is
largest employer in
the area.
A number of
district's parents are
employed by small, usually non-union, automotive parts suppliers.
The annual income for most families
approximately $25,000.
is
However, the major financial support for the school
is obtained from
property taxes on agricultural lands and expensive lake residences.
