Date of Award

Spring 1986

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program/Concentration

Urban Services - Urban Education

Committee Director

Petra Snowden

Committee Member

Leonard I. Ruchelman

Committee Member

William Cunningham

Committee Member

Wolfgang Pindur

Committee Member

Donald A. Myers

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to design a process product administrative microcomputer literacy training model for 43 principals and 44 assistant principals in the Virginia Beach elementary schools. In order to accomplish this purpose, a systematic process for assessing administrative microcomputer literacy training was developed. The training assessment process included the identification of the following: (1) administrative microcomputer literacy training needs, (2) school administrators' attitudes toward microcomputer use, (3) barriers and facilitators influencing administrative use of microcomputers, (4) organizational factors needed to facilitate and support administrative use of microcomputers in schools, and (5) school administrators' training preferences and learning styles.

Based on this administrative microcomputer literacy training needs assessment process, an administrative microcomputer literacy training paradigm was designed. Specific tasks of this training paradigm are as follows: (1) to establish cognitive, proficiency, intrinsic, and extrinsic goals; (2) to devise a training format; and (3) to develop change strategies that would facilitate and support the use of microcomputers in schools.

An adaptation of the Zemke Needs Assessment for Computer Literacy Training model and the Roberts Local Process of Change model serve as the basis for the development of this study's training model and training needs assessment process. The following three separate survey instruments were designed for data collection: open-ended interview questionnaire, semi-structured pilot instrument, and structured survey instrument.

The findings of this study indicate that microcomputer literacy training must respond to the specific training needs of specific school personnel in specific positions. It must also provide change strategies that can facilitate and support the use of microcomputers in schools.

For urban school officials, this study provides (1) an administrative microcomputer literacy training paradigm that is designed to increase knowledge and skills in microcomputer use and to effect and sustain the change to microcomputer use in schools, (2) a training format that is structured to meet the identified microcomputer literacy training needs and preferences of school administrators, and (3) a process product training model that can enable school systems to design their microcomputer literacy training efforts and to plan for training implementation and outcomes.

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DOI

10.25777/sjfj-wf32

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