| A yearlong one-to-one computer laptop classroom instruction intervention program used to prepare 4th-grade students for participation in computer learning activities was evaluated. Students used computers to complete daily reading, writing, and Internet search assignments. Students were divided into two groups according to past computer access; Digital Divide Learners (n = 10) who did not have computers and Internet access at home, and Digital Native Learners (n = 15) who did have computers and Internet access at home. Reading, writing, total technology skills domain scores, and keyboarding speed and accuracy outcomes were evaluated. Results indicate reading vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing pretest-posttest test score gain for both groups. However, the null hypothesis was rejected only for the Digital Native Learners reading vocabulary pretest-posttest comparison. The null hypothesis was not rejected for any of the reading and writing posttest-posttest comparisons. The null hypothesis was rejected for all pretest-posttest computer learning scores for both groups. Only the keyboarding accuracy posttest-posttest comparison was found to be statistically significantly different in the direction of greater accuracy scores for the Digital Native Learners. Computer competence for all students must begin in our classrooms. |
