The influence of a computer literacy course on junior high students' attitudes toward computers, 1985

The problem was to identify and evaluate attitudes of junior high students toward computers and to determine if participation in a computer literacy course would influence their attitudes. The study also compared certain student demographic characteristics and information gain to attitude. The 126 subjects in this experimental study are seventh grade students of a selected junior high school. A content test was designed to measure the objectives of the course. Information gain measured the difference between pretest and posttest scores on the content in the computer literacy course. A questionnaire was developed to measure the students' attitudes toward computers. Statistical techniques used to test the eight null hypotheses were the independent _t test, correlated t test, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Rejection of the null hypotheses was at the .05 level of statistical significance. The results indicate that: 1. Students enrolled in a computer literacy course have a more positive attitude toward computers than students not enrolled in the computer literacy course. 2. Students enrolled in a computer literacy course have a more positive attitude at the conclusion of the course than at the beginning. 3. Students gained significant knowledge of computer operation between the beginning and end of course. 4. There was a significant relationship between attitude change toward computers and information gained by the students at the conclusion of the course. 5. Female and male students showed a significant difference in attitudes toward computers. 6. Students who had previously operated computers had a more positive attitude toward computers than those who had not. 7. Students' mathematics grades indicated there was no significant difference of attitude toward computers. 8. Students who had access to a computer at home showed a more positive attitude toward computers than those who did no