A Feasibility Study on the Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Teaching Type Writing Speed and Accuracy Skills Using Both Manual Typewriters and Microcomputers for Otm Students of Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the effectiveness of type writing speed and accuracy skills using manual typewriter for OTM students of Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State.
- To ascertain the effectiveness of type writing speed and accuracy skills using microcomputers for OTM students of federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara
- To ascertain whether microcomputer type writing will demonstrate a lower error rate than manual typewriter
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Typing manuals
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, most office work was done in copperplate script or a variant of copperplate handwriting known as the ‘Civil Service hand’,5 and followed precise rules, an example being the setting out of correspondence. The transition to typewriters must have been challenging, both technically and stylistically, and the author of an 1893 manual showed ‘a specimen of typewriting illustrating, in perhaps an exaggerated form, most of the irregularities to be found in unskilled work’. (Pitman 1893: plate 1). Many of these irregularities were explained as the ineffective technical use of the typewriter, such as uneven impression, and the misuse of one character for another, but reference to irregular spacing and uneven margins reflected a concern for elementary principles of typography that were relevant to making documents easy for people to read. Manuals to provide instruction in typing skills began to appear in the 1880s. One of the earliest was John Harrison’s A manual of the typewriter, published by Isaac Pitman in 1888. Others followed, often connected to a particular typewriter brand, such as Instructions on the Calligraph typewriter (1891). The 1890s and early 1900s saw the publication of what quickly became ‘standard works’ that ran to many editions: Pitman’s A manual of the typewriter was first published in 1893, with numerous editions up to 1922, when it was superseded by Pitman’s commercial typewriting, which was published until 1977. Prominent twentieth-century authors of similar wellregarded manuals were Arthur E. Morton, Edith Collyns, Edith R. Smith, Frederick Heelis, Maxwell Crooks, William and Elizabeth Walmsley and Edith Mackay. A detailed survey of rules for visual organisation in key typing manuals in numerous editions showed consistency in content, though with change over time reflected across editions. Such change, for example in relation to conventions for abbreviation, reflects the evolution of language through micro typographic articulation (Walker 2001). Typing manuals contained rules and conventions, in the main, for commercial correspondence and related office work, but many also included sections on setting out plays, engineering specifications, and legal documents, each with facsimiles as examplars. Information presented ranged from punctuation, grammar and style, to postal regulations and forms of address. The early typing manuals prescribed conventions derived from commercial handwriting practice, as would have been prevalent in office work (such as the use of superior figures in dates), and others were influenced by the desire to emulate typesetting and to reflect formality and authority (such as centring and capitalisation). Typing manuals formed the basis for the attainment of skills necessary for being an efficient office worker. Most were progressive, beginning with fingering exercises and ending with the transposition of handwritten material into typed documents in accordance with typing rules and conventions that would have been mastered along the way. The attainment of skills was reinforced through examinations and certificates. In the manuals the words ‘display’ and ‘setting out’ were used frequently, suggesting that visual or artistic ability was a required skill. Typists were also expected to know how to spell, punctuate and organise text into paragraphs. The rules covered issues of organising text on a micro level, such as punctuation, use of capital letters and treatment of book titles – all issues referred to by printers as ‘house style’. Keeler in The Phonetic Journal in 1904: 836 observed: Style in commercial typewriting, in contradistinction to ‘style’ in literary work, may be defined as the due observance of particular rules or principles, more or less wellknown, in the technical setting out or rendering of any MS. into print, or typewriting and conformity with certain ‘niceties’ in the mode of arranging commercial terms, phrases, abbreviations, figures; careful attention to paragraphing, spaces after punctuation marks, etc. Typing manuals therefore provide an excellent repository of codified practice – rules and principles relevant to typewriter composition. Typists, through engagement with the manuals, became experts using a text composition system with limited graphic capability.
Chapter Three
Research methodology
Research Design
The research design adopted in this research work is the survey research design which involves the usage of self-designed questionnaire in the collection of data. Under the survey research design, primary data of this study will be collected from Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State in order to determine a feasibility study on the Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of Teaching Type writing Speed and Accuracy Skills using both manual typewriters and Microcomputers for OTM students of Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State The design was chosen because it enables the researcher to collect data without manipulation of any variables of interest in the study. The design also provides opportunity for equal chance of participation in the study for respondents.
Population of Study
The population of study is the census of all items or a subject that possess the characteristics or that have the knowledge of the phenomenon that is being studied (Asiaka, 1991). It also means the aggregate people from which the sample is to be drawn.
Population is sometimes referred to as the universe. The population of this research study will be Seventy-five (75) selected student Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter is about the analysis and presentation of data collected from the field through questionnaire. The analysis of the data with particular question immediately followed by the presentation of findings.
As mentioned in chapter three, 50 questionnaires were administered and 50 were retrieved and necessary analysis was carried out on them and presented as follows:
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain a feasibility study on the comparative analysis of the effectiveness of Teaching Type writing Speed and Accuracy Skills using both manual typewriters and Microcomputers for OTM students of Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of the effectiveness of Teaching Type writing Speed and Accuracy Skills using both manual typewriters and Microcomputers
Summary
This study was on a feasibility study on the comparative analysis of the effectiveness of Teaching Type writing Speed and Accuracy Skills using both manual typewriters and Microcomputers for OTM students of Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the effectiveness of type writing speed and accuracy skills using manual typewriter for OTM students of Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, to ascertain the effectiveness of type writing speed and accuracy skills using microcomputers for OTM students of federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara and to ascertain whether microcomputer type writing will demonstrate a lower error rate than manual typewriter. The total population for the study is 75 students of Federal polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Although there were minor differences in mean typing speeds demonstrated by students in the two types of class, the differences were too small to be statistically significant. Hence, the hypothesis that typing speed is acquired more rapidly with computer based instruction than with typewriter-based classes cannot be accepted for girls only, for boys only, or for the entire class as a whole. The conclusion, then, is that acquisition of typing speed by introductory keyboarding students is not significantly enhanced by the use of computer-based instruction in place of typewriter-based instruction
Recommendation
Numerous schools must face decisions about replacement of aging electric typewriters in keyboarding classrooms. Since the data in this study indicates no difference in acquisition of typing speed, but does indicate a significant difference in typing accuracy when using computer-based keyboarding instruction, there appears to be no pedagogical penalty for moving to a computer-based keyboarding environment. In fact, there may be a related advantage in such a changeover if the improved keyboarding accuracy found in this research can be replicated. Personal computers used for introductory keyboarding instruction can also be used for other computer courses, subject to relative class sizes and scheduling constraints. It is recommended, therefore, that school administrations consider a phased replacement of instructional electric typewriters with microcomputers when equipment replacement is being contemplated rather than simply renewing old-design equipment
References
- Anderson, K.. K. ( 1992). Microcomputer application and skill instruction needed and received by college business administration students. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 34, 24 – 37.
- Barta, R. J. (1989). A comparison of teacher-directed and self-directed instruction in keyboarding college students. Business Education Forum, 43, 12 – 14.
- Buchanan, C. Q. (1993). The Keyboarding Conundrum. Writing Notebook: Visions for Learning, JO, 12 – 14.
- Condon, G., Hsoggatt, J., and Weston, A. (1989). Public school administrators’ perceptions concerning elementary school keyboarding. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 31, 112 – 125. Craighead, (1984, September). Typing: The key to computer literacy. Instructor. pp. 178 – 202. 36
- Davison, L. J. (1990). Effects of Microcomputer versus Electric Element Typewriter Instruction on Straight Copy and Production Keyboarding Performance. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 32, 125 – 137.
- Erickson, L. (1983, Fall). Typewriting vs. keyboarding: what’s the difference: what’s the difference? Century 21 Reporter. pp. 5 – 9.
- Grierson, R. (1985, November). Mission: Define computer literacy. The Computing Teacher. pp. 10 – 14.
- Hearn, J. C., Lewis, D.R., and Zilbert, E. E. (1993). Keyboarding coursework and employment earnings, and educational attainment. Journal of Education for Business, 68, 14 7 – 151.
- Johnson, M., and Hoot, J. L. (1986, Winter). Computers and the elementary teacher. Educational Horizons. pp. 73 – 75.