The Computer as a Tool in Teaching Basic Writing to College Freshmen

This study explores the effects of the computer on the writing skills of 93 college students enrolled in a special Rhetoric program; these students were basic writers in that they demonstrated serious problems with correctness and clarity of ideas. The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, a CAI component was designed and implemented into the existing curriculum which focused on improving grammar skills and some lower-order writing skills. Second, a formal evaluation of the CAI component was conducted in order to determine its effectiveness in improving certain skills. Three different groups of EOP Rhet 104 students participated in this study with the first group of 50 students belonging to the PLATO group; 33 students making up the Control group; and 10 students serving as the Microcomputer section. All groups followed basically the same course syllabus. The PLATO students also completed weekly lessons on PLATO; the Micro students did the majority of their writing on the microcomputer using word processing.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Svacina, Jean Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Walker, Jerry L.

• Speech Communication
• Education, Technology of
• Education, Curriculum and Instruction

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8908860

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/69224