An exploratory factor analytical assessment of community college students attitudes toward technology

Vita.The goal of this study was to identify the factors underlying the attitude of community college students toward working with and learning through computer technology. In addition, the impact of age, gender, and exposure to technology on the factors underlying these attitudes were investigated. Community college students will increasingly encounter information technology in many forms both at work and school. The importance of students' attitudes toward the learning environment has been established by many researchers. The sample consisted of 322 students enrolled at North Harris College during the spring semester of 1993. Two attitudinal instruments were completed by each student. These instruments had been previously validated by other researchers with secondary school students. After contextual modification, these instruments were administered. The primary attitudinal instrument used in this study was the modified version of Secondary Students Attitude Toward Technology. The theory of reasoned action was used as the theoretical framework of attitude research. A clear definition of technology was developed. The validity and reliability of the primary instrument was established. An exploratory factor analysis procedure was used to identify the factors underlying this construct. Three stable factors were identified. Factor one was a composite of cognitive items and was named The Benefits of Technology. The Technology as a Tool for Work and School was the second factor and represented the behavioral component of attitude. The third factor which represented the affective domain of attitude was labeled The Positive Influences of Technology. Three dimensions of attitude construct (affective, behavioral, and cognitive) were distinguished. The differences in the patterns of factor formation were studied. The academic and demographic information of the participants was used to divide the sample into several groups based on these variables. The impact of age on the patterns of factor formation was inconclusive. Formal exposure to technology-related courses was significant only when the responses of those participants who had taken two non-required technology-related courses were studied. The pattern of factor formation was different for the male and the female sub-samples with the males assigning higher importance to the behavioral factor. For the female sub-sample, the affective dimension of attitudes toward information technology played a more important role. It is recommended that for measuring attitudes toward technology, a gender-fair attitudinal instrument be developed with equal concentration on all dimensions of the attitude construct