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TRADITIONAL METHOD VERSUS COMPUTER-AIDED INSTRUCTION IN TEACHING KEYBOARDING SKILLS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference between computer-aided instruction and the traditional approach to teaching keyboarding skills to third- and fourth-grade students. The objectives of the study were (a) to determine if students of this age level have the necessary kinesthetic responses to learn touch typing or keyboarding skills; (b) to determine if students of this age level can learn keyboarding skills independently through the use of computer software; (c) to determine whether or not the software package used in this study was adequate for this age level; (d) to determine what level of speed can be reasonably expected of this age level student; and (e) to determine, based on a child's reading ability, if one method was more appropriate than the other. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to the two treatment groups in four separate, half-hour time slots. Each group met three days a week for a four-week period of time. All participants used the Model III TRS-80 microcomputer keyboard. Treatment groups C used the Alphabetic Keyboarding software for learning the alphabetic keys, while treatment groups T used the text, Basic Information Keyboarding Skills and Scripsit. A pretest-midtest-posttest design was used, along with a questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of the study. The t-test of significant means revealed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in posttest scores or posttest errors. Results revealed the following about the objectives: (a) both groups increased significantly from pretest to posttest with a median score of 6 GWAM; (b) C group increased significantly, with a median score of 6 GWAM; (c) the software package needed revisions for use; (d) students GWAM ranged from 4 to 16, with a median of 6 GWAM; and (e) a preferred method was inconclusive.
Subject Area
Business education
Recommended Citation
ANDERSON, TIMOTHY EARL, "TRADITIONAL METHOD VERSUS COMPUTER-AIDED INSTRUCTION IN TEACHING KEYBOARDING SKILLS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN" (1983). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8412292.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8412292