Center to Study Computers in Schools

Special software programs that continue video technology with instructive computers television shows that resemble "Nova, " and computers that respond when spoken to are some of the projects that the Graduate School of Education's new research institute will soon begin working on.

Last week, the federal government awarded Harvard a $7.7 million contract to start the center which will enable professors, computer scientists, and other educators to determine how technology can help improve math, science and computer education in U.S. schools.

The center is housed in Gutman Library at the Ed School.

While the center will not set a formal agenda or select a staff until later this fall, officials at the Ed School said the institute has five different tasks to fulfill, according to the federal government contract.

Gregory Jackson, co-director of the institute, said that the five goals include: * developing and maintaining a research agenda which solicits discussion from educators around the country: * conducting research and assessing the potential use of computers in teaching: * working with computer and other technologies to see how they can best be used for teaching: * providing graduate level training for people who want to use computers in schools: * sharing their results with schools and parents.

Jackson, who is an assistant professor at the Ed School, explained that Harvard will subcontract half of its original contract to various school systems, education experts, public television, and other places that will aid in the research.

For example, the Educational Testing Service will help disseminate information about the center and its projects, Jackson said.

The Ed School has been committed to studying the uses of computers for the past several years. Dean of the Ed School Patricia A. Graham said this week. She added that the school's new technology curriculum began this fall with 30 students.

Graham added that the Ed School received another grant this fall from the federal government to research how students react to computers in the classroom.

The three-year, $300,000 grant will enable Ed School professors and students to observe a fifth-grade classroom before and after a computer system is installed. Courtney B. Cazden, professor of Education, said Wednesday. Cazden added that she and two colleagues are currently talking with several Cambridge elementary schools about conducting the study.

As part of the research, Cazden said she and the others would select an appropriate computer system and train the teachers how to use it.

The new research institute is limited to studying the use of technology in math science, and computer education. But Officials said that they hope to raise additional money to expand the center's research to the humanities.

Judah Schwartz, the other co-director of the institute, said that he also hopes the center can raise enough money to investigate the use of technology in colleges and other higher education institutions.

Currently, the institute is gearing itself for studying the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools, Schwartz added.

The Ed School has plans to establish same sort of research center on technology even before the federal proposal came out last spring, Jerome T. Murphy, assistant dean at the Ed School, said last week.

The size of the federal contract, Murphy added, will enable Harvard to establish itself as the leading center in the country for doing research in this area.

Jackson said that the institute will begin inviting people to come for conferences and seminars this full, adding that the center's agenda should be drawn up during the next two weeks.