The Effects of ComputerAssisted Instruction on Second Grade Students Writing Development and Interes

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The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction on
Second Grade Students Writing Development and
Interest in Writing

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What influence, if any, does the use of
computer-assisted instruction have on second
grade students - interest in using the
computer as a writing tool?- quality of
writing when composing to a specific
audience?- revising and editing? 
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Study Approach

• Qualitative Model
• Naturalistic Setting classroom
• Teacher/Researcher Model
• Process Oriented

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TheoryPiaget saw computers as tools with which
students could construct their own knowledge
(Shade and Watson, 1990, p. 380). Furthermore,
students were in control of their actions on a
computer, especially for writing.
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Students Interest in Writing

• 1995 Geraldine Jackiewicz
• The Effects of Computer Based Instruction in
  Writing at the Elementary Level
• Results In a survey for students attitude, 100
  if the students in the experimental group said
  they liked to write compared to 80 in the
  control group. The marked difference was when
  she asked the question, If given a choice of
  tools, what would you use? 66 of the
  experimental group said the computer. 67 of
  the control group said the computer as well.
  Although the control group did not receive
  instruction on the computer, they were still
  interested in using it as a writing tool.

• 1997 David Lund
• Integrating the Computer into Language Arts in a
  Fifth Grade Classroom A Developing Instructional
  Model.
• Results A post project interview noted that
  students seemed to work harder on their stories
  while they used the computer. Also, they were
  more motivated to go beyond what what was
  required of them and showed more interest in
  writing if they could use the computer as a
  writing tool.

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Students Quality of Writing When Composing to a
Specific Audience

• Three audiences teacher, local peer, distant
  peer
• The writing pieces were scored according to The
  Gardner and Hatch Model that examines content,
  use of language, mechanics, organization, passage
  length, and use of questions in the writing.
• Results Overall, the writing for distant peers
  received a higher score than the writing
  addressed to the teacher or the local peer.
  Furthermore, students who wrote to distant peers
  viewed this activity as more purposeful because
  they were giving information to other students
  for the first time via the computer network.
  Hence, the availability of computer networks
  provide students with more opportunities to
  write, and this study shows that the quality of
  writing improves when writing is on the computer
  to a real audience.

• 1995 Gallini and Helman
• Audience Awareness in Technology-Mediated
  Environments
• 45 - 5th grade students
• Wanted to examine how students would write for
  different audiences on the computer. Due to the
  increase in networked computers, more students
  can write to distant audiences which in turn will
  effect their writing.
• The researchers noted that having a remote, real
  audience compared to a fabricated one would
  effect the structure, mechanics, and content of
  written compositions.

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Students Revising and Editing

• 1996 Nora Lichtenstein
• The Effect of Word-Processing on Writing
  Achievement
• Major Results
• Longer Pieces no need to rewrite over and over
  again
• Process of revising and editing was easier on the
  computer, fewer mistakes
• Important comment from Lichtenstein, A major
  stumbling block in getting students to revise is
  the pain of rewriting paper and pencil versions
  of their work

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1994 Shaw, Nauman, and BursonComparisons of
Spontaneous and Word-Processed Compositions in
Elementary Classrooms
Students' Revising and Editing

• Major Results
• Word-Processed contained more errors
• Handwritten more creative, longer, imaginative,
  and original

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Participants

• 18 2nd grade students, heterogeneous group
• Small and rural community
• K-12 school building
• Each student received a code for identification
  on the instruments
• Varying levels of experience with computers
• 4 focus students chosen through a stratified
  random selection process (2 boys / 2 girls)
• One student above average
• Two students average
• One student below average

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Research Instruments
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Prior to Week One -collect all
materials -letters to parents -talk with
classroom teacher -select focus group Week
One -Writing Pre-interest survey -Introduce
unit to students -Setup student journals and
show e-mail -Send introduction letters to
college student -Conduct personal interviews
with each student -Setup computer inventory in
classroom
Procedures
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Weeks Two-six -Obtain 2-3 Journal
Responses -Record Observations in
Journal -Implement the Writing
Activities -Maintain Computer Inventory -Send
E-mail Letters to College Pen Pals Week
Seven -Post Writing Interest Survey -Thank
You Notes Home to Parents -Give Students
Writing Folders -Complete Observation
Journal -Conduct Closing Interviews -Give
Certificates to Students
Procedures
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Limitations to the Study1. Six Weeks may be
too short2. Chance on unplanned schedule
changes3. Superintendent noted that all the
writing activities have to correspond directly
to the unit4. Researcher is not the primary
teacher in the classroom
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Alterations

• Changed six weeks to seven weeks due to 3 snow
  days, 1 conference day, and 1 illness day.
• Two new students in the first two weeks of the
  study who did not receive instruction in
  ClarisWorks. Extra time spent to review the
  program. Therefore, the initial computer writing
  activity was omitted from the study.

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Research Results Student A14
Research Instruments Writing Interest
Survey Computer Inventory Student
Journals Student Interviews Daily Observation
Journal Writing Activities
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Student Writing Activities Audience Analysis
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Student Writing Activities - Quantity Analysis
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Research Results Student C6
Research Instruments Writing Interest
Survey Computer Inventory Student
Journals Student Interviews Daily Observation
Journal Writing Activities
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Student Writing Activities Audience Analysis
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Student Writing Activities - Quantity Analysis
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Research Results Student J16
Research Instruments Writing Interest
Survey Computer Inventory Student
Journals Student Interviews Daily Observation
Journal Writing Activities
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Student Writing Activities Audience Analysis
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Student Writing Activities - Quantity Analysis
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Research Results Student A7
Research Instruments Writing Interest
Survey Computer Inventory Student
Journals Student Interviews Daily Observation
Journal Writing Activities
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Student Writing Activities Audience Analysis
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Student Writing Activities - Quantity Analysis
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Survey Questions Answer Values 1. Is writing
fun? Yes 3 points 2. Do you like to write
on the computer? Sometimes 2 points 3. Do you
know how to write on the computer? No 1
point 4. Does your teacher give you time to write
on the computer? 5. Can computers help you to
write? 6. If given a choice, would you write more
often on the computer?  
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Summary and Conclusions

• Definitely increased interest in writing as a
  result of using the computer as a writing tool
• Inconclusive for writing quality when composing
  to a specific audience, focus students had varied
  results in each instrument
• Students repeatedly commented on how much easier
  and exciting revising and editing was on the
  computer compared to using a pencil

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Recommendations

• Researcher
• Program Background
• Increase Length
• Provide ample time
• Free choice activities

• Teacher
• Time to use computers in classroom
• Cooperative Work
• Challenging Work for strong computer users

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