student and teacher perceptions of

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Student and Teacher Perceptions ofComputer Literacy Education:

What are the outcomes?

An Action Research Project


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Masters of Arts in Teacher LeadershipRoosevelt University

December 2004

Tony MillerBusiness Teacher

William Fremd High School

Palatine, Illinois

An Action Research Project

Student and Teacher Perceptions of Computer Literacy Education:

What are the outcomes?

I. Abstract

By surveying non-computer literate students (one who has not taken an

introductory computer course) and computer literate students (one who has taken a

computer course) in their perceptions of skill level, I found that the students who took a

computer literacy class felt more confident in their skill level than those that did not. The

computer literate students ranked their perceptual skill level in many areas of technology

(keyboarding, word processing, use of spreadsheets, slide shows, web pages, and


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databases) higher than those with no computer literacy experience. Ironically, even those

who felt they had the necessary skill level to learn on their own ranked themselves, on

average, lower in skill level than a computer literate student.

The students taking the computer literacy class also indicated perceptual areas of

growth in regards to computer skills from the beginning of the semester to the end of the

school year. A majority of students indicated the inclusion of technology in their content

courses, such as mathematics, science, English, and social studies.

Teachers were also surveyed on their uses of technology in their

classrooms and students skill level with using particular programs, applications,

or hardware. The majority of teachers indicated that students computerliteracy skill levels are not where they should be regardless of whether they

took a computer course or not.

II. Background Information and Evolution of the Question

I am certified by the state of Illinois to teach keyboarding, information processing,

computer applications, integrated applications, desktop publishing, and web page design

from kindergarten thru 12thgrade. I have taught computer-based classes for seven years

ranging from all grade and skill levels. I have also taught over nine different business

content classes, such as business law, business management, and accounting.

I have mainly spent my time primarily teaching 9 ththru 12thgraders in computer

literacy and applications three classes a day over the past six years. I have fully

integrated technology into my accounting class using Excel and Automated Accounting

and I incorporate technology four out of five days in my Business Management

class. My computer literacy and applications classes range in student ability levelfrom: low, average, high, and gifted. I have also taught many non-computer course

classes with students who have limited computer-based skills.

A brief synopsis of the geographic and demographics of District 211 is as

follows. Regarding any curriculum development, all five high schools (William Fremd,


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Schaumburg, Palatine, James B. Conant, and Hoffman Estates) must come to a

consensus. There are many issues currently on the table in our district that can have

adverse effects on curriculum development outside the core content classes of math,

science, English, and social studies. The issues of NCLB (No Child Left Behind), PSAE

(Prairie State Achievement Exam), and the mathematics initiatives for our district can

become a challenge for new curriculum that is unrelated to the high-stakes testing of

content area knowledge. Another challenge in developing any curriculum is satisfying

the needs of the one out of five high schools that is in block scheduling.

Our District, the largest high school district in the state has made a

significant investment in technology. There are five high schools in the district

with a total enrollment of just over 12,800 students (Twp. High School Dist.211, 2002, 16). If we use my high school as an example, each classroom is

equipped with a computer and a data projector. All the science labs have

multiple computers; there are seven different computer labs, and five rolling

labs of laptops. There are a total of almost 900 computers in my high school

alone. Each computer is connected to the district network and thus the

internet. We have two full-time network technicians, a repair technician, and

two computer specialists all under the direction of the Director of

Technology. Further information about our districts commitment to

technology can be seen in the district wide technology budget for the last four

years. This budget includes not just acquiring the technology hardware and

software, but also the training of staff, personnel to manage the technology, the

network infrastructure, and the technology at the district offices.

For the fiscal year 2001-2002 the district budgeted $4,761,400. The

following year they budgeted an additional $3,680,000. For the year that

spanned the 2003-2004 school year; $5,019,500. For next year, 2004-2005, the

budgeted figure in $5,271,000. When we add these budgeted figures together,

the district budgeted to spend $18,731,900 (District 211 Budget, 2004). There

are a total of 5 high schools in District 211, so if we take the figure

($18,731,900) and divide it by 5, my high schools portion of the technology

pie over the last 4 years was just over $3.7 million dollars or almost $1,000,000

per year.


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Most would find this is a significant investment, and then one would

hope that my districts students would be some of themost literate in the

area. This, then is the purpose of my research.

Also, computer based education is widely different among the two elementary

feeder districts. These students who move onto their secondary level of education have

varying technology skill levels due to differences in educational philosophy of the two

districts. The outcome of this situation is that the high schools have different clientele of

student body regarding technology, but must offer the same curriculum in each

school. This poses the dilemma of what might be good for one high school might not be

feasible for another in the district.

Currently, the computer literacy course is a one-semester elective course. Most

students, who are freshmen and sophomores, are interested in furthering their experiences

and will take this prerequisite class in order to take our upper level computer

courses. Ninety-percent of our computer literacy students will continue onto the spring

semester to take computer applications. Others may take the class as upper-classmen to

fulfill a parents wish or a counselors urging that the course will be useful for

college. Regardless of the students desire, those taking computer literacy will

experience a hands-on learning environment incorporating the necessary computer skills

to be successful in business, education, or in their personal lives. Indicated below are the

course objectives for our computer literacy and computer applications class.

B162 Computer Literacy Course Objectives

1. Use and demonstrate correct technique when keyboarding for speed and

accuracy at a minimum of 25 wpm for three minutes with six or fewererrors

2. Using the table feature, format, edit, and produce tables

3. Format, edit, and produce simple web pages


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4. Format, edit, and produce spreadsheets

5. Format, edit, and produce reports in MLA-style

6. Use the personal computer as a tool

B163 Computer Applications Course Objectives

1. Assess keyboarding speed and accuracy using a minimum goal of 30 words perminute for three minutes with three or fewer errors

2. Using automated features, format, edit, and produce various types of businessdocuments (i.e.-memos, form letters, email) using MS Office software

3. Use presentation software to create presentations

4. Format and create documents using desktop publishing options

5. Using database software design a database, input data, query information, andgenerate reports

6. Demonstrate the ability to integrate the various software applications inMSOffice

I, along with several other business teachers in my department and district, have

experienced the benefits of taking a computer-literacy class early on in my/our high

school education. We feel that the skills learned and applied can help in future studies,

but presently during students high school education. My research will show more

teachers in our district are integrating technology in the curriculum and requiring their

students to be knowledgeable in the basics of office application work. I have wondered if

our students truly believe the benefits of their time in our computer classes and if they

feel it has better prepared them for their core content classes in high school. We also

wondered if our students perceive to be more knowledgeable in their computer skills after

taking our class. Students today are growing up with computers and are more interactive

with technology than ever before. We have spent every summer the past five years trying

to adjust the curriculum to fit the needs of our students. From this came the question:


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What are student and teacher perceptions of computer literacyeducation? What are student and teacher perceptions of studentscomputer literacy skill level? What technology are teachers usingin their classes? Do we have the appropriate curriculum andobjectives for our student population? Is there a need for a

required computer literacy class? What should the outcomesbe? How will these be addressed in curriculum development of arequired computer literacy class?

III. Expectations and Rationale

I expect to find that student perception of computer skill level and teacher use of

technology can be beneficial if a student takes a computer literacy class. I hope to find

some useful information that will aid in re-structuring a computer literacy curriculum for

all students that will benefit them in their core high school classes as well as prepare them

for the future.

IV. Review of Literature

The research conducted supports my rationale for a required computer

literacy course. The research will define what it means to be computer

literate. The research will also explain a framework for a comprehensiveapproach to maximize computer literacy in student learning.

According to webopedia.com, computer literacy is defined, as

the level of expertise and familiarity someone has with computers.

Computer literacy generally refers to the ability to use applications

rather than programs. Individuals who are very computer literate are

sometimes called power users.

According to Salpetersarticle, 21stCentury Skills: Will Our Students

Be Prepared? (2003), she summarizes in a report from a new public-private

coalition known as the Partnership for 21st Century Skills

(www.21stcenturyskills.org), which articulates a vision of how schools can best

prepare students to succeed in the first decades of the 21stcentury. In her

summary, central to the reports recommendations is a call for schools to focus

on six key elements of 21st century learning. One of those six elements was

21stCentury Tools: Recognizing that technology is, and will continue to be, a


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sophisticated ways that evolve over time, what technology is, how it is created,

and how it shapes and is shaped by society. (Dugger, 513-17)

In Beyond Imagination: The Internet and Global Digital Literacy,

Lester Faigley articulates collective learning objectives for technology in the

following:

What do we want students to learn? I believe we have goodanswers to this question. We want students to recognize andvalue the breadth of information available and to evaluate,analyze, and synthesize that information. We want students toconstruct new meaning and knowledge with technology. Wewant students to be able to communicate in a variety of mediafor different audiences and purposes. And we want students tobecome responsible citizens and community members. Wewant them to understand the ethical, cultural, environmental,and societal implications of technology andtelecommunications, and develop a sense of stewardship andresponsibility regarding the use of technology.

Based on the results of a recent research/demonstration project

by McRelsRural Institute Mid-continent Research for Education and

Learning (Fanning, 1994), the lack of interest in integrating

technology shown by core, academic teachers was surprising

Dede (1990) found several misconceptions held among many

educators in regards to computer literacy. These misconceptions are:1. Technology is simply a way to do things faster or more efficiently

(e.g., word processors are used like faster typewriters instead oftypesetting, editing and publishing media).

2. Contemporary trends in technical innovations are about to run theircourse.

3. Being literate in a new technology is simply knowing how to operate

it (technology is just a tool).

4. Students and teachers do not need equipment as powerful as thatused by business and industry (somehow schools do not have toreflect the same level of sophistication as the culture their studentslive and participate in).


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5. The preparation of students and teachers for the use of newtechnology can be delayed until the technology is actually availableor perceived to be needed (knowing the evolution of technicalknowledge and skills is not viewed as being very important).

6. Technology can be implemented in incremental ways and stillachieve a desirable level of performance (the discord between whathappens inside the school and what is expected outside the schoolstill is not perceived as relevant).

Dovers article from www.about.com, Adult/Continuing

Learning, Essential Computer SkillsGetting Started suggests the

ones life with computers will be much easier if you get a solid

foundation in the basics first.

([Online] Available: www.adulted.about.com) The basics include

being able to:

Describe computer hardware, software and

functions: The ability to talk about computers is necessarywhether you are buying one or asking for help solvingcomputer problems.

Perform basic computer operations: These includeusing the keyboard and mouse; turning the computer off

and on; opening software applications; opening,minimizing and closing windows; and managing files andfolders.

Once you are able to discuss computers and perform basic operations,

you are ready to learn how to:

Conduct library and Internet research: At a minimum,you should be able to search the holdings of your school'slibrary, using on-site computers. A complementary skill is

the ability to effectively search the Internet using a browsersuch as Internet Explorer or Netscape.

Create and edit reports and presentations: For mostassignments, knowing how to use a word-processor such asMSWord or WordPerfect is sufficient. For business coursessuch as Accounting, which require the display and


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management of financial data, you may want to use aspreadsheet program such as MSExcel. If you makepresentations regularly, presentation software such asPowerPoint is useful for creating and presenting slides.

"Nice to know" functions that are quickly becoming "need to know"

items are the ability to:

Use your computer to communicate with others: Thecommunication tools of E-mail, discussion forums and chatrooms allow you to network, exchange information andeven submit assignments. You need Internet access to useall of these applications.

V. Methodology

The very first activity I did for this action research project was develop

an online survey questionnaire to collect data on students perceptions of

computer literacy education. After teaching the curriculum for several years

and observing the lack of skill level in non-computer literate students (those

who have not taken a computer course) in my business content classes, I felt

that this data could provide positive outcomes to indicate the benefits of taking

such a course and the positive perceptions students feel because they do take

the course.

The online computer literacy survey questionnaire was answered by 225

students, of those surveyed, 69.8% of those had taken the computer literacy

program and 30.2% of those surveyed had never taken the computer literacy

program. Of the 225 students surveyed, 35% were freshmen, 15% were

sophomores, 20% were juniors, and 29% were seniors. The survey results

where sent directly to an Access database file. Using the Access database table

results, I created queries to extract specific data involving the followingquestions.

1. How much knowledge or skill level (perceptual) did you have in the

following computer skills or applications going intothe computer class?


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2. How much knowledge or skill level (perceptual) have you gainedin

the following computer skills or applications after takingthe computer

class?

Scale: 0=25%, 26-50%, 51-79%, 80%+

1. Touch Keying2. Word (Word Processing)3. Excel4. PowerPoint5. FrontPage (Web Authoring)6. Publisher (Desktop Publishing)7. Database8. Internet Concepts9. File Maintenance

10. Using Hardware11. Troubleshooting

3. How usefulhave these computer skills or applications been for you

as a student in your other core classes?

Scale: Never Used, Rarely Used, Somewhat Useful, Very Useful, Extremely

Useful

1. Touch Keying2. Word (Word Processing)3. Excel4. PowerPoint5. FrontPage (Web Authoring)6. Publisher (Desktop Publishing)7. Database8. Internet Concepts9. File Maintenance10. Using Hardware11. Troubleshooting

4. Will computers be useful in the future?


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5. What computer applications and other computer technology have

you used for the classes listed below?

1. Science2. Math3. English4. Social Studies

6. Rank your technology skill level on a scale of one to ten (ten being

the highest) using the following statements

10

I am exceptionally proficient at the computer. I can touch type at an acceptablerate. I can make elaborate PowerPoint presentations with animations, transitions,

graphics, sound and video. I know how to use a spreadsheet and can creategraphs. I can also build well designed and functional web pages. I can findinformation easy on the web and know how to use the web as a resource. I needvery little instruction from the teacher on how to use technology and software.

5

I am proficient at the computer. I can touch type at a reasonable rate. I can makePowerPoint presentations and build web pages. I am not familiar with Excel orthe advanced features of Word. I know how to surf the web but when I getbogged down when I have to do research. I do need some instruction from theteacher on how to use software.

1

I have very limited skill on the computer. I dislike computers and have to usethem more often than I want to. I can perform simple tasks like writing a paper inWord or a creating a simple PowerPoint presentation. I need a lot of instructionfrom the teacher on how to use technology or software.

0 I do not use technology enough to rate my skill level.

After I extracted the data by running queries in Access, and I copied that

data into Microsoft Excel to analyze and evaluate the data using mathematical

formula to find percentages among the data results.

The goal of the survey was to extract data that stood out among others,because a majority of students perceived their skill level differently. With this

data analysis in hand, I created charts (graphs) as well as spreadsheet of the

results to illustrate the outcomes from the online computer literacy student

survey on students perceptions of their technology skill level. The outcomes


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would be used to find out what changes or revisions should be made regarding

to computer literacy education in my district.

Next, a teacher survey was taken in the spring of 2004 and involved

teachers providing their perceptions of student skill levels regarding technology

(mainly computer literacy skills) and their use of technology in the classroom.

The computer literacy survey questionnaire was answered by 88 teachers

from our school in various curricula. The survey results where sent directly to

an Access database file. Using the Access database table results, the data was

then imported to Microsoft Excel for analysis and evaluation of the following

questions.

1. Because you use them in class, which of the following

technologies do your students need to improve their use of?

2. Because you use them in class, which of the following

technologies do you think our students have the required skills?

3. Which of the following technologies do you requireyour

students to use in your classes?

1. Word2. Excel3. PowerPoint4. Access5. FrontPage6. Publisher7. Internet Concepts8. Using Hardware

4. On a scale of one to ten, rank the technology competencies of

our students (10=High, 0=Low)

5. Based upon your observations and experiences, do you feel the

technology skill level of our students is where it should be?

Again, like the student computer literacy survey, I used Microsoft Excel

to analyze and evaluate the data that I was provided by my colleague using

mathematical formulae.


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The goal of the survey was to extract data that was unusual, because a

majority of teachers perceived student skill level differently. With this data

analysis in hand, I created charts (graphs) as well as spreadsheet to illustrate the

outcomes from the technology literacy teacher survey based on their perception

of student technology skill level. The outcomes would be used to guide us to

change or revise computer literacy education in our district.VI. Assessment, Data Results, and Findings

The student survey data includes perceptions of 225 students, ranging

from 9th12thgrade (69.8% of those who responded had taken the computer

literacy course and 30.2% of those had never taken the computer literacy

course).

The first student survey question asked was how much knowledge or

skill level (perceptual) did you have in the following computer skills or

applications going intothe computer class? The results were as follows:

Students' Perception of Prior Knowledge Skill Level

TouchKeying Word Excel

PowerPoint

FrontPage Publisher Database

InternetConcepts

FileMainten-ance

UsingHardware

Trouble-shootingResults

0-25 28.7% 4.5% 30.6% 7.6% 55.4% 39.4% 67.5% 3.8% 22.8% 22.8% 37.6%26-50 26.1% 22.9% 31.2% 29.9% 17.8% 27.7% 15.3% 13.3% 34.2% 36.7% 25.5%51-79 21.7% 36.3% 23.6% 26.8% 14.0% 21.9% 10.8% 31.6% 19.0% 18.4% 23.6%

80+ 23.6% 36.3% 14.6% 35.7% 12.7% 11.0% 6.4% 51.3% 24.1% 22.2% 13.4%

Under50% 54.8% 27.4% 61.8% 37.6% 73.2% 67.1% 82.8% 17.1% 57.0% 59.5% 63.1%

Under79% 76.4% 63.7% 85.4% 64.3% 87.3% 89.0% 93.6% 48.7% 75.9% 77.8% 86.6%

Over80% 23.6% 36.3% 14.6% 35.7% 12.7% 11.0% 6.4% 51.3% 24.1% 22.2% 13.4%

Table 1.1

Figure 1.1


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Students' Perception of Improvement in Skill Level after taking Computer Literacy & Computer Applications


PowerPoint


InternetConcepts

FileMaintenance

UsingHardware

Trouble-shootingResults

0-25 4.5% 4.5% 1.9% 3.2% 7.1% 7.1% 7.7% 7.1% 6.5% 9.7% 20.0%26-50 6.5% 4.5% 6.5% 5.2% 9.7% 12.3% 14.2% 5.8% 12.3% 16.8% 14.2%51-79 36.1% 18.1% 38.7% 27.1% 37.4% 34.8% 36.8% 28.4% 38.1% 38.7% 35.5%

80+ 52.9% 72.9% 52.9% 64.5% 45.8% 45.8% 41.3% 58.7% 43.2% 34.8% 30.3%

50% orless 11.0% 9.0% 8.4% 8.4% 16.8% 19.4% 21.9% 12.9% 18.7% 26.5% 34.2%

51% ormore 89.0% 91.0% 91.6% 91.6% 83.2% 80.6% 78.1% 87.1% 81.3% 73.5% 65.8%

Table 1.2

Figure 1.2

From the data indicated on Table 1.2 and illustrated on Figure 1.2, those

students taking the computer literacy program significantly improved

perceptually in all areas listed above. A majority of students, 80% on average,

perceived that their skill level increased over 50%after taking the computer

literacy program. Ironically, the growth was so large, that it indicated that even


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those students who perceived to be over 80% in skill level going into the

computer literacy program learned a great deal more than 0-20%, in fact they

perceive to learn enough that they are over 100% in skill level. Thus, their

initial perception of their prior skill level is could be attributed to their

inexperience with the vast capabilities of computers and their lack of

knowledge as to what these capabilities can do for them in their high school

education and beyond.

The third student survey question asked how usefulhave these computer

skills or applications been for you as a student in your other core classes? The

results were:

Students' Perception of the Usefulness of Technology in Core Classes


PowerPoint


InternetConcepts

FileMaintenance

UsingHardware

Trouble-shooting

Extremely Useful 41.7% 63.5% 23.7% 42.7% 16.1% 19.2% 12.3% 70.9% 30.1% 17.4% 17.4%

Very Useful 25.2% 26.0% 25.1% 31.2% 12.4% 16.9% 10.5% 20.9% 24.2% 27.4% 22.0%

SomewhatUseful 18.8% 8.2% 34.7% 21.1% 21.2% 23.3% 18.3% 5.0% 23.7% 25.6% 27.1%

Rarely Used 6.9% 2.3% 9.1% 2.3% 21.2% 19.2% 21.9% 3.2% 13.2% 13.2% 15.6%

Never Used 7.3% 0.0% 7.3% 2.8% 29.0% 21.5% 37.0% 0.0% 8.7% 16.4% 17.9%

MajorityRating 67% 89% 51% 74% 71% 64% 77% 92% 54% 55% 61%

Table 1.3

Figure 1.3


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From the data indicated on Table 1.3 and illustrated on Figure 1.3,

students surveyed perceived that many technologies were useful to their overall

learning in their core classes. A majority of students surveyed perceived that

touch keying (keyboarding), Word, PowerPoint, Internet concepts, and file

maintenance were very or extremely useful to them in their core classes, such

as math, science, English, and social studies. Basically, the students felt that

these were the main technologies being incorporated in their core classes.

On the other hand, a majority of students surveyed perceived that Excel,

FrontPage, databases, using hardware, and troubleshooting computer problems

were less useful to them or never used in their core classes. Interestingly, the

students felt that these technologies were not being incorporated into or needed

in their core classes and thus being computer literate in these areas was not a

top priority for them.

The fourth student survey question asked the students will computers beuseful in the future. The results were:

Will Computers be useful in the future?Yes No97% 3%

Table 1.4


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This survey question above was asked to show that the vast majority of

students surveyed perceive that they understand computers will be needed and

will play an important role in their future.

The fifth student survey question asked what computer applications andother computer technology have you used for the classes listed below. The

results were:

Students' Perception of technology used in their core classes

TouchKeying

Word Excel PowerPoint


InternetConcepts

UsingHardware

NoTechnology

Science 91.9% 38.9% 35.1% 30.3% 0.0% 2.7% 0.0% 21.6% 5.4% 5.4%

Math 28.1% 5.4% 18.9% 0.5% 0.0% 1.0% 2.7% 3.8% 3.0% 47.0%

English 98.9% 98.9% 2.7% 17.3% 1.1% 1.1% 0.0% 11.9% 2.7% 1.1%

Social

Studies 79.5% 41.6% 2.7% 31.9% 0.0% 1.1% 0.0% 10.8% 1.1% 20.5%

Table 1.5

Figure 1.5


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From the data indicated on Table 1.5 and illustrated on Figure 1.5,

students surveyed were able to identify a discrepancy among the core courses at

the high school level concerning integration of technology into theircurriculum. The data identified that those surveyed indicated that Science is

the subject that incorporates more technology than any other. Science like

many of the other core subject require students to keyboard, use Word, Excel,

PowerPoint, and Internet concepts in learning and applying science content.

English and Science came in second and third, respectively with

incorporating technology into their curriculum. They greatly require students

to touch key (keyboard) for writing and developing linguistic skills, presenting

information via a PowerPoint slide show, and using the Internet in researching

specific subject content.

Mathematics came in a distant fourth with incorporating technology into

the classroom. In fact, 47% of those surveyed indicated that Mathematics is

not integrating technology into their subject content. A small percentage of

students identified that touch keying/keyboarding (28.1%) and using Excel


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(18.9%) for mathematical formulae and graphing were used in their math

classes.

The sixth student survey question asked the students to rank their

technology skill level on a scale of one to ten (ten being the highest). Theresults were:

Students' Perception of their Skill Level

With Computer Class W/out Computer Class

YearTechnology Skill

LevelTechnology Skill Level

Frosh 8.13 5.25Soph 8.82 8.10

Junior 8.40 7.16Senior 7.95 7.44

Table 1.6

Figure 1.6

From the data indicated in Table 1.6 and illustrated in Figure 1.6 the

difference in students perceptions of their own skill level is apparent. At each

grade level, those students who took the computer literacy program rated


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themselves higher (2.88 higher as freshman) than those students who never

took a computer literacy class.

In fact, the freshman students who never took the computer literacy

program rated themselves on average a 52.5% (an F letter grade), where as

the freshman students who did take the computer literacy program rated

themselves on average an 81.3% (a B letter grade).

Juniors and seniors rated themselves on average a 73% (a C letter

grade) for those who never took the program and those who did rated

themselves an 81.75% (a B- letter grade).

The sophomore students surveyed rated themselves on average a 81% (a

B- letter grade) who never took the program, where was the sophomores who

did take the program rated themselves on average an 88.2% (a B+ letter

grade). For some reason, sophomores perceived to have more confidence intheir skill level than any other class. This could be due to the fact that many

core classes incorporate technology in the classroom at that level and the

confidence in using these skills were present in their mind when taking the

computer literacy survey.

Regardless of any grade level, the confidence level of the students who

took the computer literacy course was greater than those students who did not

take the course. In addition, the students who experience more technology tend

to be more comfortable with using technology overall than those who tend to

use technology less often.

The teacher survey data, conducted at my school, included 88 teachers in

various subject areas, both core and elective areas (percentages were not

gathered).

The first teacher survey question asked teachers was: Since you use

them in class, which of the following technologies do your students need to

improve their use of? The results were as follows:

Word 22.0%Excel 36.0%PowerPoint 42.0%Access 7.0%FrontPage 17.0%


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The third teacher survey question asked: Which of the following

technologies do you requireyour students to use during your classroom. The

results were as follows:

Word 77.0%Excel 27.0%PowerPoint 61.0%Access 1.0%FrontPage 7.0%Desktop Publishing 7.0%Internet Concepts 58.5%Using Hardware 13.5%

Table 2.3

A majority of teachers surveyed integrate the technologies of Word,

PowerPoint, and Internet concepts in a variety of ways according to their

subject content. Many teachers surveyed (mainly science teachers) integrate

Excel into their curriculum and require students to be technologically literate in

these areas.

The fourth teacher survey question asked on a scale of one to ten, rank

the technology competencies of our students (10=High, 0=Low). The results

were:

High 10.0Low 0.0Average 5.3

Table 2.4

The next step was to get the teachers perceptions of the technology

proficiency of the students. When teachers were asked to rank the technology

competency of our students on a scale of 1-10, their average results were a

5.5. A rank of a 5 was described on the survey as:Most students are proficient. Most can touch type. They canmake PowerPoint presentations and build web pages. They arenot familiar with Excel or the advanced features of Word. Theyknow how to surf the web but when they get bogged down when


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they have to do research. I do have to spend some instructionaltime teaching the students how to use software.

Overall, the 88 teachers surveyed, on average, perceive students

computer literacy at a 5.3 out of a 10 rated scale.

The fifth teacher survey question asked teachers: Based upon your

observations and experiences do you feel the technology skill level of our

students is where it should be? The results were as follows:

Yes 23%

No 77%

Table 2.5

Again, 77% of the 88 teachers surveyed perceived that students

technology skill level is not where it should be. Many of the comments listed

below from teachers will support this data, where a majority feels students

know enough to get by, but are not utilizing technology to its fullest. Many

teachers take time correcting student problems with technology or teaching

them skills that take up time that should be spent teaching their core content.


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The numbers compared are in Figure 2.6. The blue represents teachers

perceptions of which software program a student uses in their classes. The maroon

represents teachers perceptions regarding skills needed to improve. The yellow

represents the teachers perceptions regarding the students required skills.

We can see that Word has the highest perceived competency. PowerPoint

requires the most improvement and is the third most used. Excel requires the next

most improved are to consider. Internet Explorer and search engines follow in 2ndand

4thplace most used software.

The sixth and final question was an open-ended question asking the

teachers to make any suggestions to improve students computer literacy levels

or to list any technologies they felt the students needed to be computer

literate. When teachers were asked for the students greatest needs in terms of

technology, some consistent themes emerged; teachers wanted students to be

more proficient in PowerPoint and Internet Research along with a better

mastery of Microsoft Office Suite. The following are samples of teachers

responses: Even though our students have been brought up on the computer,

most do not have the instructional refinements. They have learned how to do things on the computer by

experimenting on their own. Some think that if they know how to play games, they are pro. How to develop a proper PowerPoint presentation. How to navigate the web using search engines and subject

directories, without using Google or Yahoo. How to create web pages.

How to touch key effectively. How to use advanced features in Word. Advanced power point presentations and advanced internet research. Students need to fully learn programs that they use partially. In word, all students can type a paper, but how many know how to do

a page set up.


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VII. Survey Analysis

Computers are continuing to be more and more part of the world today,

in homes, in schools, and in business. They have been a mainstream in the

business field for years. Today we are buying them for our homes at anunbelievable rate. According to the 2002 US Census office survey, 54 million

American households have a computer (US Census (April 17,

2004). [Online] Available: www.census.gov)

That figure had more than doubled in the last 10 years, up from 22.8% in

1992. There is no reason to believe that that figure would not continue to rise

as computers become cheaper. Another interesting fact is that 41.5% of US

households in 2002 had an Internet connection. The rate of Internet access has

grown at an unbelievable rate. In 1997, only 18% of American households had

an Internet activity. That means that connectivity grew at a rate of 20% per

year. As high-speed access begins to decline in price, we can expect that

number to continue to climb (US Census, 2004).

So we can see from these figures, in the United States we are buying

computers and getting connected to the Internet in our homes. We are using

computers in our daily lives.

From the data collected so far from students, one can see that their

perception of being computer literate going into a class is misconceived based

on the fact that 80% of those surveyed felt they improved over 50% in skill

level even if they felt they were had 80% or better efficiency. The data has

shown that students perceive to be more confident in the use of computers in

their core classes when taking a computer literacy course. Also, students feel

that computers will be useful in their future. A majority of students surveyed

perceived that touch keying (keyboarding), Word, PowerPoint, Internet

concepts, and file maintenance were very or extremely useful to them in their

core classes, such as math, science, English, and social studies. Basically, the

students felt that these were the main technologies being incorporated in theircore classes.

From the data collected so far from teachers, one can see that students

have deficiencies in their computer skills and teachers are requiring students to

have these skills prior to taking their course.


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VIII. Recommendations

Based upon the student and teacher survey results on computer literacy

education, the next step would be to design a curriculum that would allow

students to get the skills that they need in order to improve their overallliteracy, eliminate time spent by core subject content teachers instructing the

use of technology in their classes, and to design a curriculum that involves a

comprehensive framework of performance, context, and linguistic

activities. The recommendations below will outline this comprehensive

approach for maximizing computer literacy.

1. Microsoft Wordo It is the most widely used software in high school education

o Teachers have expressed the students do not have all the required skillso Teachers wanted students to go beyond the basicso Formatting reports, letters, memos, and desktop publishing media

2. Microsoft PowerPointo Third most used softwareo Had the highest percentage of teachers that felt students skills need to improveo Creating and presenting effective slide show presentations including audio and

video

3. Internet usage, research, & conceptso A reoccurring theme was that students did not know how to use the Internet oro How to find and evaluate credible sources of informationo Effectively use search engines and subject directories using Boolean Logico Understand the complexities of the Interneto Develop a code of ethics in regards to computer technology

4. Microsoft Excelo Over half of the teachers use Excelo Second highest program that teachers felt the students needed to improve their

skillso Creating and formatting spreadsheets using formulas, function, and charting

5. Web Design


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o Thirty-two percent of the teachers use or would like to use Front Page in theirclasses

o With the increase in Internet usage, the students will need these skills to moveinto the technology future

o Creating a website incorporating the web design elements of content, page layout,

graphics, navigation, design, and information

6. Touch Keying (keyboard usage and practice)o Developing keyboarding skills using the alphabetic keyboardo Proper keying technique will minimize the potential health hazardso Improve keying speed and productivity with the computer

An example of a comprehensive approach for maximizing computer

literacy for ALLstudents is as follows:

1. Performance: Evaluating Web Resources by finding sources usingInternet, think critically about the source credibility, access web and howto locate browser, conduct keyword searches, and select appropriatesources

2. Contextual Factors: Consider the source by identifying the author,source, professional organization, and accuracy of message

3. Linguistic Activities: Conducting research by reading andnavigating hypertext while scanning web design elements

As stated earlier, Lee-Ann Kastman-Breuch declares, This framework

is a starting point for future research in applying this framework to pedagogical

settings and report results from such application. Also, future research might

also begin to develop stronger theoretical stances with regard to the collective

issues I have identified. (Kastman-Breuch, 280) This critical thinking

regarding technological literacy and developing a framework to guide our

computer aged youth in the use of technology is where our district must

start. We, as a community, which includes administrators, teachers, parents,business professionals, and students have identified in the action research

survey results and the technology plan of our district that computer literacy is

important part of ones education and future success in todays technological

society.


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student and teacher perceptions of

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