Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment to Calculation
Computer Power and Human Reason: From Judgment to Calculation
Assessing aspects of children's written grammar: automating the process
Computers & Education
Cartoons beyond clipart: A computer tool for storyboarding and storywriting
Computers & Education
StoryTime: a new way for children to write
Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children
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The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a computer tool can change the way children approach the task of writing and improve their writing performance. HARRY, a web-based computer tutor, provides a Vygotskian-like scaffolding of the knowledge transforming mature writing process and presents it to children individually in a conference situation. The effects of the computer tutor are analysed by comparing stories produced by three children of varied writing ability, who wrote a control and a HARRY-assisted story, and by observing the children as they wrote. A control group also wrote two stories without receiving assistance for either story. The study's hypothesis was confirmed. With HARRY's assistance, the children wrote better stories and employed the revision process characteristic of mature writers. Vygotsky's work suggests that children will learn to adopt the mature approach from repeated use of the system and that the scaffolding should be reduced gradually. However, as the system relied upon the children's willingness to first request, then act upon the available guidance, the system would benefit from further development to ensure children interact sufficiently with HARRY.