Towards a typology of computer use in primary education

In the present study, we reject the view that computer use can be studied as an isolated variable in a learning environment. Our main objective is to develop an instrumental tool to measure different types of educational computer use in the classroom. This builds on a comprehensive review of the literature about computer use in education. This review helped to construct a questionnaire to identify a typology of computer use in primary education. In addition, the questionnaire was enriched by input of experts in this field. The questionnaire was presented to a sample of 352 primary school teachers. The input from a first subsample was used to carry out an exploratory factor analysis; the second subsample was used to verify the identified factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. A three-factor structure of computer use in primary education was identified: 'the use of computers as an information tool', 'the use of computers as a learning tool,' and 'learning basic computer skills'. The three-factor structure was confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. The results underpin a number of meaningful differences in the current practice of computer use in primary education.