Teachers' attitudes toward computers

Touchings, David (1989) Teachers' attitudes toward computers. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (12MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

Research studies suggest that computers are not being introduced into public schools and incorporated into classroom instruction at a fast enough pace. The major reason cited for such a slow introduction was the negative attitudes teachers had toward computers. Furthermore, it was suggested that certain groups of teachers (had more negative attitudes toward computers than others. -- The purpose of this present study was to examine the relationship between four teacher characteristics - computer literacy level, teaching area, teacher gender, grade level taught - and teachers’ attitudes toward computers. In order to discover the nature of the relationship between teachers and attitudes toward computers a Likert - type scale was constructed and administered to 487 teachers. The results showed that computer literate teachers demonstrate more positive attitudes toward computers than non - computer literate teachers; science and language arts teachers show more positive attitudes toward computers than social studies teachers; male teachers have more positive attitudes toward computers than female teachers; and intermediate - high school teachers (grades 7 to 12) have more positive attitudes toward computers than primary - elementary school teachers (grades K to 6). -- These results have important implications for an education system in the process of incorporating computers into its program. If it is true that certain groups of teachers hold less positive attitudes toward computers, then teachers with these less positive attitudes might be more resistent to the introduction of computers into the educational system.

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