Factors influencing the continuation of instructional computer use in public school classrooms in southeast Michigan

Computers have "revolutionized" the way Americans live and conduct their business, but that same revolution has hardly touched our nation's classrooms. School districts may provide computers and training, but that does not guarantee teachers will use them. The study had two purposes. The first purpose was to increase knowledge about factors likely to foster or deter computer implementation. The second purpose was to consider why some school teachers 24 to 36 months after computer workshop training reported more instructional use of computers than others. A direct mail questionnaire was used to obtain information from 124 teachers in 13 school districts who had participated in 1987-1989 Computers Are Tools training regarding their reported instructional use of computers during May 1991. Teachers who use computers stored in their rooms for the week or assigned a specific number of days per week reported significantly more computer use for language arts or written communications that those who had computers stored in a central location, and certainly more than those with access to a computer lab. There was actually a negative relationship between having a computer assistant in the lab and educationally significant use of computers for language arts. Computer lab support did not foster an increase in use of the computer for language arts applications. Furthermore, teachers who had computers assigned to the classroom each week were more likely to include specific computer references in their lesson plans. Administrative requirement to use the computer encouraged higher levels of reported computer use. Administrative requirement to use the lab did not increase written communication or use of the computer for language arts. Some increase in reported use of computers for basic skills and simulations occurred. A computer assistant fostered use of computers for simulations and programming. Additional areas where support proved helpful included: computer repair, storing of software, and selection of software. Repair support and selection of software appeared to foster using the computer for basic skills. Accessible software fostered use of the computer for written communications, higher average minutes of reported computer use, and significant use of computers for language arts.