Jean Underwood

Children's interactions and learning outcomes with interactive talking books

Abstract How do pairs of children interact when using a multimedia CD-ROM storybook (“talking books”), and do their patterns of interaction reflect the gender composition of the pair? Do different types of pairs interact differently and remember the activity differently? These questions were addressed with a classroom experiment in which 8 year old boy/boy, boy/girl and girl/girl pairs worked through the screenpages of a CD-ROM storybook prior to completing a cued-recall comprehension test and a free-recall story writing exercise. During the storybook activity measures of computer interface use and measures of verbal interaction were recorded. Differences between pairs of children were recorded in the use of the computer interface, and verbal interactions were related to interface activity. The comprehension test delivered no differences between pairs, but the free-recall story writing exercise found superior performance for girls who had previously worked together. The measures of verbal interaction taken during the storybook activity did not predict subsequent performance, although disputes over the control of the mouse were related to free-recall story writing.

Gender differences and effects of co‐operation in a computer‐based language task

Summary Pairs of upper primary school children worked on a computer‐based language task which required the completion of a short piece of text from which some letters had been deleted. Children worked in single‐gender or mixed‐gender pairs. Previous studies have shown that mixed‐gender pairs are at a disadvantage over both boy‐boy and girl‐girl pairs, at least with this language task. (When a spatial navigation task has been used, girl‐girl pairs are at a disadvantage.) The mixed pairs may perform less well as a result of a failure to co‐operate, and so the present study observed two organizations of pairs ‐ one explicitly instructed to discuss the task and to work co‐operatively, and one in which the children were told that their contribution to the task would be assessed on an individual basis. Performance measures indicated a disadvantage for mixed pairs of children, and a general improvement in performance for pairs instructed to co‐operate. These instructions had least effect upon the performance of ...

Are Integrated Learning Systems Effective Learning Support Tools

Abstract The following summary presents the key findings of an evaluation of a 6 month trial of one Integrated Learning System (ILS) in nine U.K. Schools, conducted by the School of Education, Leicester University. The pupils in the target population ranged from 8 to 13 years of age. The evaluation design was based on the comparison of outcome performance in mathematics (basic numeracy) and reading for designated experimental and control groups in five schools, although additional data from all nine schools enriched this central core of data. In addition the evaluators monitored pupil behaviour. There were significant learning gains in the ILS treatment group for mathematics (basic numeracy) compared to the Control group. However, no such gains were recorded for reading. There were no discernible differences in patterns of attendance at school for ILS and Control groups. In general, behaviour was good when using the ILS with higher time on task and a calmer working atmosphere than in the standard classroom. There was some indication that this improved behaviour transferred to the standard classroom over time.

Predicting Computer Literacy: How Do the Technological Experiences of Schoolchildren Predict Their Computer-Based Problem-Solving Skills?

ABSTRACT What is the effect of a technologically rich out‐of‐school environment upon the use of information technology in the classroom? This question was approached by observing the relationships between the exposure to home electronic technologies and classroom disposition and performance. Secondary school children (11–12 years old) were interviewed to determine their declarative knowledge of computers and computer use, the richness of their technological environment and their declared interest in working with computers. They then performed a computer‐based language task that required them to enter missing letters from a piece of text This task required linguistic problem‐solving skills as well as keyboard agility and yielded a number of performance scores. Successful performance correlated with declared out‐of‐school computer use. The richness of the technological environment also correlated positively with declared computer use. Out‐of‐school experience did not predict attitudes to classroom informati...

STILE: a Hypermedia Approach to the Provision of a Flexible, Interdisciplinary Resource Base for Teaching and Learning

SUMMARY The STILE Project is using hypermedia to provide greater opportunities for independent and flexible modes of learning both in a campus situation and for distance learning. The approach is resource‐based. STILE provides a mechanism for users (both teachers and learners) to discover and access relevant resources when they need them, together with facilities that enable users readily to use and re‐use existing materials and to integrate them with further materials of their own in a way that seems natural to them. The result is not a closed and finished product, but a set of tools and services and a continually developing resource base. The effect is to ease the load on academic staff in maintaining and supporting student access to resources and to enrich the set of resources available to both staff and students. This paper outlines the underlying philosophy of the project, the technical infrastructure that has been developed, and current use, and discusses some of the associated theoretical and pract...

Children's Thinking During Collaborative Computer‐based Problem Solving

In previous experiments we have found that co‐operative working around a computer leads to performance gains, but that not all groups benefit equally. Specifically, we have found that mixed gender pairings have shown the least benefit of co‐operative working and we hypothesised that this was due to the nature of the interaction within these groups. The present experiment attempted to identify the specific components of co‐operative discussion that are associated with variations in performance. A Cloze task and a spatial programming task were used to observe gender pair differences in performance and discussion. Programming generated more co‐operation than did the Cloze task, and pairs of boys were especially reluctant to share the Cloze task. Analyses of dialogues indicated more positive socio‐emotional comments during programming than during the Cloze task, and there were also differences in problem‐focused informative statements between tasks. Programming elicited more suggestions of answers and also mo...

Breaking the cycle of ignorance: information technology and the professional development of teachers

Despite numerous national and local initiatives there are still many schools within the UK which have yet to take Information Technology (IT) on board in any meaningful way. For the majority, IT flourishes only in pockets of good practice within the school. Lack of resources both in terms of hardware and software and in terms of adequate training are often cited as the prime causes of this failure to advance. The research literature on teacher expertise, however, suggests that there is a more fundamental reason for the lack of progress: the inherent resistance to meaningful change within our profession. What is the nature of this resistance and how may it be overcome? Here evidence drawn from the formal evaluation of Integrated Learning Systems in UK schools will be used to illuminate our understanding of the process of professional development of teachers.