From: John.Feltham@f706.n640.z3.fidonet.org (John Feltham)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.comp.literacy
Subject: Paper. 4/4
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 12:01:28 PDT
Organization: FidoNet node 3:640/706 - Coral Sea, Townsville Qld Australia

(continued)

The lack of a significant effect for gender when initially included as a
factor in the analysis of the extended age range data supports previous
results for pre-schoolers alone reported by Alloway and King(1991). This
clearly indicates that girls and boys in all grades used in this study were
equally efficient at manipulating all the devices in order to complete the
set task. While not central to the study, this result is useful in
interpreting findings made elsewhere which suggest that young boys access and
participate in computer activities to a greater extent than girls. Lack of
performance differences in computing activities lends weight to a social,
rather than a biological interpretation of access and participation
differences.

In terms of expressed preference for a particular input device, it seems that
the younger the child, the less clear was the association between preferred
option and ease of use of the devices. In fact, most of the pre-schoolers who
expressed a preference chose the device that they ed least efficiently. Pre-
schoolers seem to form a more intimate association between the keyboard and
computer than older groups. The keyboard's greater exploratory potential may
also have been a decisive factor in their preference for it over the less
elaborate devices. This is evidenced by the need to cover the keyboards of
the machines containing the mouse and joystick during the experiment to stop
the pre-schoolers regressing to the keyboard. For the grade one sample, no
clear pattern of preference for a device emerged, with children choosing a
particular device for reasons that bore no particular relationship to ease of
use. However, grade two and three children chose the device which empowered
them to carry out the set task most efficiently. This suggests an increased
concentration on task accomplishment rather than play for these two oldest
groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study clearly demonstrates that boys and girls from pre-school through
to grade three experience the same order of efficiency of use of the input
devices investigated. It also reveals that the efficiency of use of all
devices increases with age. Results suggest that not all children will be
attracted to a particular device on the basis of ease of use; the younger the
child, the more likely it is that the least efficient device will be
preferred. Preschool children appear to view the keyboard as an integral part
of the computer, rich in exploratory possibilities and to be preferred to the
exclusion of the more efficient devices. Whether a detachable keyboard, as
distinct from the built-in keyboards used in this study, would retain the
same fascination remains unknown.

Teachers need to be aware of the above differences in planning computer
experiences and should consider the aims of the activity when making a choice
of the input devices available. Also of interest to teachers is the finding
that by the end of grade one children can use input devices with a
proficiency equal to that of children two years their senior. These older
grades can be viewed as a single group in this respect. Finally, armed with
the knowledge that girls display equal competence in using input devices,
teachers must challenge the construction of computer activities as male when
faced with access and participation rates favouring boys.

As the proliferation of alternative input devices into educational settings
continues, additional research which goes beyond the level of observer
reflection will be necessary to help teachers ensure that all children are
given appropriate opportunities to interact, at their level of development,
with the electronic tools that are now so persuasive in everyday life.


References.

Alloway, N. & King, J. 1991,
'Self-selection. Not necessarily protection!
Gender Equity and free-choice of a computer activity in a pre-school',
Australian Journal of Early Childhood,
vol.16, no. 3, pp. 41-46.


Blemings, S. 1988,
Discoveries: Software for Young Children,
Department of Education,
Queensland, Brisbane.


Card, S.K., English, W.K. & Burr, B.J. 1978,
'Evaluation of mouse, rate-controlled isometric joystick, step keys, and text
keys for text selection on a CART',
Ergonomics
vol.43,no. 1 pp 34-44


Jones, T. 1990,
'An Empirical Study of Children's Use of micro-computers and input devices'.
Journal of Educational Computing Research.


King, J. & Alloway, N.
in press, 'Preschooler's use of micro-computers and input devices',
Journal of Educational Computing Research.


Learningways Ic. 1987,
Rosie. The Counting Rabbit.
Calamari Publishing Company, Lexington. Mass.


Thomas,J. 1980,
'Acquisition of motor skills: Information processing differences between
children and adults',
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,
vol. 51, no.1, pp 158-173.


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