Abstract

This dissertation reports on a collective case study of four high school social studies teachers who were nominated by experts as accomplished, used computers in instruction, and represented communities of varying social class status. The teachers were found to have very similar beliefs about the benefits of using computers in instruction. These beliefs focused on student motivation, use of visual images, and efficiency. Teacher practices are categorized as exhibiting Teacher Control, Student Control, or Mixed Control of content, interactions, and lesson pace. Analysis suggests that the teachers primarily used traditional instructional methods, but that their use of computers created a hybrid instructional style that is designated as Technology-Enhanced Traditionalism. Social class differences between the schools were evident in the differential treatment of students in lower social class status settings based on teachers' expectations of students' educational futures, in the emphasis placed on high status knowledge, and in variations in the amount of student computer use in classrooms. The study's implications for research, policy, and practice are explored.

Citation

DeWitt, S.W. Computer use in high school social studies classrooms: A comparative case study within social *class context. Ph.D. thesis, The University of Wisconsin - Madison. Retrieved August 10, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/121516/.

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Keywords

• Curriculum and Instruction Education
• Social Sciences Education
• Technology of Education