Date of Award

1991

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Education Honours

School

School of Education

First Supervisor

Ron Oliver

Abstract

The National Advisory Committee on Computers in Schools (Commonwealth Schools Commission, 1983) recommended to support computing in both government and non-government schools in Australia over 1984 - 1986. This led to the injection of computer resources to schools. The Western Australian Government then provided significant funds for the provision of computer equipment to primary and secondary schools (1987 -1989). Primacy schools in Western Australia now have on average three computers per primary school. The Ministry of Education has produced a policy document on computer use in primary education which clearly outlines goals to be achieved by all primary school teachers and students. This study investigated computer use across a whole school population and the achievement of computer education policy document goals. The results of this investigation indicated that teacher classroom practices were in the lower phases of goal achievement of the ministerial document. A significant number of factors were found to influence the teachers' progression along the policy goal continuum: The teachers' computer education training, administrative support, clear school policy direction, environmental constraints, the issue of available software, and the availability of time to practice and reinforce knowledge gained in in-services.

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