Microcomputer Use in Schools: Developing a Research Agenda

The impact of microcomputers on education is only beginning to be studied systematically. In this article Karen Sheingold, Janet Kane, and Mari Endreweit report on three case studies conducted to reveal how different school systems used microcomputers for instruction. They also develop an agenda for future research. Through interviews and observations, they investigated three geographically distinct school districts with diverse microcomputer applications at both elementary and secondary levels. Six trends emerged which raise important questions for future study: access to microcomputers;emergence of new roles in response to microcomputers; integration of microcomputers into elementary classrooms and curricula; quantity and quality of software;preparation of teachers for using microcomputers; and effects and outcomes of the instructional use of microcomputers.