Instructional Use of Computers in Public Schools, Spring 1983. Fast Response Survey System Report No. 14 [microform] / Douglas A. Wright and Others

This report presents findings of a national mail survey of school principals conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in Spring 1982 to assess recent changes in computer availability and to obtain data about instructional uses and needs from the school perspective. Results are reported for the following topics addressed by the questionnaire: number of computers available for all uses (instructional and non-instructional) and for instructional use by students in the 1981-1982 school year; number of students using computers for instruction and the number of computer hours of instructional use in the 1981-1982 school year; relative amount of computer time devoted to various instructional purposes; number of teachers trained to teach computer literacy (introduction to computer concepts); number of credits that students could earn in computer literacy and computer science; need for and sources of microcomputer courseware; instructional software; and needs for initiating or improving computer-based education. Appendices include a discussion of the survey methodology and sampling errors and a copy of the survey questionnaire. (LMM)