An examination of computing styles among teachers in elementary schools

In this article I examine the ways in which teachers organize their workplace behaviors as they respond to computers in their schools. Particular attention is given to the strategies that develop among teachers enabling them to address their own occupational concerns and organizational expectations simultaneously. Data were collected through extensive observation and formal interviewing in nine elementary schools. Computers had been in each of the schools for at least five years at the time of the study. Findings reveal that teachers shape the meaning of computer technology in their schools through styles of computing including avoidance, integration, and technical specialization. This influence has critical implications for the ongoing process of computer implementation in elementary schools.