A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Computer-Assisted Instruction on the Academic Achievement of Students in Grades 6 Through 12: A Comparison of Urban, Suburban, and Rural Educational Settings

This meta-analysis analyzed grades 6 through 12 school students\u27 academic achievement effect sizes from experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational studies that examined the effects of microcomputer-based computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on the academic achievement of urban, suburban, and rural students across various subjects. Those studies compared secondary students who were exposed to CAI with those who were exposed to traditional instructional strategies. A total of 3,476 students participated in 24 studies which resulted in 35 conclusions. The sample size ranged from 28 to 425; the mean sample size was 140 students. The mean effect sizes of urban, suburban, and rural students uncovered differences in the effect of CAI on secondary students\u27 academic achievement. CAI appears to have its strongest effects among urban students; its effects are weaker among suburban students and weakest among rural students. The mean effect size of the seven studies in urban areas was 0.362. In suburban areas, nine studies yielded a mean effect size of 0.227, and a mean effect size of 0.148 was calculated across eight studies in rural educational settings. From the 35 conclusions, an overall mean effect size was calculated to be 0.233. The overall mean effect size of this study indicates that the average student exposed to CAI showed academic achievement greater than 58.7% of the students exposed to traditional instruction. The 35 effect sizes were categorized into seven academic subject areas. The mean effect size of CAI on science students\u27 academic achievement was the largest effect size in the meta-analysis. In descending order, the mean effect sizes by subject area in science, reading, special education, music, math, vocational education, and English are as follows: 0.717, 0.262, 0.259, 0.230, 0.179, 0.168, and $-$0.420, respectively. The 35 effect sizes were compared over time by calculating the mean effect size of the studies conducted within each year from 1984 to 1993. The mean effect of CAI on student academic achievement generally declined over time

Utilization and Application of Business Computing Systems in Corporate Real Estate

This study reports on the utilization of business computing systems by corporate real estate executives. A survey was undertaken to examine four issues: types of property data collected, MIS report generation, hardware/software usage, and decision models and experts employed. NACORE members were surveyed and reported extensive usage of well-known business computing systems (e.g., transaction processing and management information systems), while newer systems (e.g., decision support and expert systems) are just beginning to be introduced into corporate real estate. Empirical analysis revealed differences among industries in the types of reports and property financial data that are maintained.

A Model of Freshman Use of Microcomputers Related to Intellectual and Social Development

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between freshmen\u27s use of microcomputers and their social and intellectual development in a university environment. A review of related literature describes the theoretical foundation of this research and identifies questionnaire items for measuring the critical variables of microcomputer use and student development. To conduct the study, data obtained from 400 freshman students prior to entering Utah State University (USU) in the fall of 1996 were compared to data collected from the same students during Spring Quarter of 1997. Correlational analysis was used to study changes in freshman students\u27 use of microcomputers and variables known to predict students\u27 social and academic integration into the institution. Regression analyses were used to identify variables and dimensions of microcomputer use that contributed to and detracted from students\u27 intellectual and social development

Computers in high school agriculture programs: a national study of need, use, and value

The study\u27s objectives were to determine the need for computers in high school agriculture classes, determine how they were being used, and determine the teachers\u27 perceived value of the effectiveness of using computers. An additional objective of determining reasons for not using computers was addressed to those teachers where students did not use computers;Six hundred schools were randomly selected from a population of 9,093 high school agriculture departments in the United States. The response rate was 53.7 percent;The use of computers by agriculture teachers was still relatively new with the group mean being less than five years of computer experience. Most teachers rated themselves no higher than just able to get by in their ability to use specific software programs. Computers were being used more often as a tool for instruction rather than as an object of instruction;Teachers generally agreed with statements that indicated students need to use computers in agriculture classes. Teachers, where students did not use computers, were less likely to agree that students need to use computers;Computer programs most often used were word processing, educational games, and drill and practice programs. Teachers rated educational games as being the most educational and motivational. A slight correlation between years of owning a computer and teachers\u27 agreement that educational games wasted time suggests that games should not be overused, even through they may be motivational;Computers were used most often in crop and livestock production. These topics, however, were the topics most often taught;Teachers were positive about the value of five selected types of software. They agreed that these programs were educational and motivational. They generally disagreed with the idea that these programs wasted time;Teachers in schools where computers were not used agreed that the teacher is not equipped to teach with computers. They disagreed with the idea that computers were too technical for students and wasted too much teacher time

A Study to Determine the Effectiveness of a Traditional Teacher Directed Lecture-Demonstration Method Compared with a Computer Driven Tutorial Program for Students Enrolled in Woodworking Technology

There is a significant difference in the performance of students enrolled in Woodworking Technology who are taught woodworking with the use of a computer tutorial system compared to students who are taught by a traditional teacher lecture/demonstration method

Algorithms for randomness in the behavioral sciences: A tutorial

Simulations and experiments frequently demand the generation of random numbera that have specific distributions. This article describes which distributions should be used for the most cammon problems and gives algorithms to generate the numbers.It is also shown that a commonly used permutation algorithm (Nilsson, 1978) is deficient

Bit by Bit: Microcomputer Applications by Archivists in Four Southeastern States

As archivists in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky began to automate in the early 1980s, most found microcomputers much more to their liking than main-frame computer systems or book-oriented network systems. Few archivists in the region were using computers before microcomputers were developed in the mid-1970s. The smaller computers that were marketed during this period allowed users in the region to adapt programs easily to their individual needs at minimum cost. However, the limited capacities of the first microcomputers have pushed archivists, as they move into the 1980s, to buy larger microcomputers or small minicomputers

Microcomputer usage in the horticultural office: An analysis of software requirements and availability in New Zealand

"Based on an honours dissertation prepared by Philip Williams ... supervised and edited by G.F. Thiele"--Foreword.In the 1970s the development of a third generation of computers brought the potential of computer ownership to the individual grower. In 1975, with the utilisation of the mkroprocessor as part of a microcomputer system, the first small computer entered the marketplace in the United States. Microcomputers technology has industries and first appeared in New Zeal and around 1979. Computer proven to be vastly productive, revolutionising many jobs. Microcomputers are becoming significant in the horticultural environment and have the potential to become widely adopted. Their significance is indicated by the amount of time growers are spending using them. Nuthall, (Kellogg Farm Management Unit) surveyed computer users registered with the Unit. Advisers and consultants averaged nearly 20 hours and horticulturists 6.7 hours per week of computer usage (Anon., 1985a), which represents a major management cost to the farm system. This discussion paper: 1. Reviews the use of computers in decision making and the provision of information 2. Describes the software development within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries' (MAF) Advisory Services Division 3. Describes the major benefits of computer use and the criteria for selection of a system 4. Summarises the software available for horticulture 5. Discusses the application of microcomputers by grower

A Study to Compare the Effectiveness of Using Stand-alone Computers and Networked Computers in Completing Classroom Keyboarding Assignments

The following hypothesis was developed to guide this study: 1. Students who utilize stand-alone computers will perform more efficiently than students who utilize networked computers in completing keyboarding assignments