Computers and Classroom Culture

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Summary: Reviews and reaction to the book by specialists
Review: Dear Colleague: I thought you might like to know about my book, "Computers and Classroom Culture," that was published recently by Cambridge University Press. Thus, I am sending along excerpts from the book's dust jacket and the publisher's flyer about it. These materials both describe the book's content and provide excerpts from pre- and post-publication reviews. Given your work, I thought you might find this information useful. I have also supplied ordering information in case you feel the book would be of interest to you. Janet W. Schofield Professor of Psychology BOOK DESCRIPTION: CONTENT AND APPROACH In order to realize the potential of computer technology to improve education, we must understand how the social organization of school and classroom influences the use of computers, and how computer use in turn affects the functioning of classrooms. In an intensive, qualitative study of an urban high school, Janet Schofield investigated these issues. More than 30 different classrooms, including geometry classes in which students used artificially intelligent tutors, business classes in which they learned word processing, and computer science classes in which they learned programming, were observed over a 2-year period. In addition, two dozen teachers and 250 students were interviewed. "Computers and Classroom Culture" explores the meaning of computer technology for our schools. In clear and direct prose, Janet Schofield examines ways that computer use is shaped by the social context in which it occurs and how attitudinal and organizational barriers obstruct it. She brings to light issues of gender differences and equity, and she provides sound and thoughtful ideas for improving educational use of computers. This book is for all those concerned with the changing shape of the classroom and the future of our schools as well as for sociologists and psychologists interested in educational computing. REACTIONS TO THE BOOK "(This is) a stunning book examining the way computers affect the American classroom and how the structure of the American classroom affects the use of computers. Using a blend of rigorous interview techniques and observations, Schofield paints a unique picture of technology in the urban classroom. She has always been regarded as a first-rate social scientist with strong empirical and methodological skills. Although her work is an intensive study of one school in one American city, it is going to be an essential reference for anyone conducting research on technology in modern society." ---Joel Cooper, Princeton University " (This is) a beautifully detailed and carefully reasoned account of what happens when technologies are incorporated into complex school settings. Their social effects are often the critical, but hidden, characters in the story of the impact of technologies. Janet has illuminated this territory." ---Jan Hawkins, Education Development Center "[Schofield's] fascinating conclusions on how computers affected the classroom environment have implications for education reform that go beyond the introduction of new technology...Although 'Computers and Classroom Culture' is a scholarly work, the relative absence of specialized educational terminology makes it accessible to a broad range of readers. The excerpts from the field notes, allowing us glimpses into the classroom, are always riveting." ---Faith Schantz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Any school hoping to effect fundamental change through the introduction of technology would find valuable insights in this book. By examining the experiences of different kinds of students in a diverse set of classes in an urban high school, Schofield highlights the social and cultural issues that shape both how technology gets used in classrooms and whether it gets used at all. Her work underscores the need for educators to take positive steps to counteract the pressures that can easily curtail girls' interactions with computers." ---Barbara Means, SRI International