A survey of high school students with ubiquitous access to tablet PCs

This paper presents findings of a study of high school students participating in a tablet PC (TPC) programme. Primary areas of interest were students' experiences with and attitudes about the TPCs, physical discomfort associated with use of TPCs and temporal and task-driven patterns of TPC use. Data were collected via questionnaire and computer use-monitoring software. Results showed students' attitudes were generally quite positive towards the TPCs, although they did not tend to think TPCs had improved their grades, few disagreed that TPCs were a distraction in class, and visual and musculoskeletal discomfort was prevalent. Understanding how to use the TPC and recognizing its organizational capacity were associated with several positive attitudes towards the TPC, including making school more enjoyable. Children's exposure to computers will only increase, so study of the many dimensions of their impact is critical in order to understand what is effective, constructive and healthful for children.     

Student IT capability within a school-based primary ITT course

Abstract This study reports on a comparative survey of primary student teachers' use of IT in schools. Groups on a similar course but with different amounts of school placement were compared. Their changing attitudes and perceived competencies were identified. The level of support available in schools was also investigated. Whilst the support available in schools was usually limited by lack of equipment and teacher expertise, students on the more school-based course were found to gain more experience of IT in schools and were more likely to have used a range of IT applications. The level of use of IT in schools is found to have a significant impact on students' confidence and attitudes towards IT. However, wide variation in students' experience is identified and strategies for overcoming this continuing problem are suggested.     

A computer attitude scale for computer science freshmen and its educational implications

Abstract The successful integration of computers in educational environments depends, to a great extent, on students' attitudes towards them. Widely used computer attitude scales (CASs) focus on the beliefs of typical computer users and do not reveal the more refined attitudes of groups that use computers extensively and develop unique relations with them. This study presents the development and validation of a CAS especially designed for computer science freshmen (CASF). The scale consists of five factors, namely, self-confidence in previous knowledge, hardware usage anxiety, computer engagement, fears of long-lasting negative consequences of computer use and evaluation of positive consequences of computers in personal and social life. Using an analytic computer experience construct, the scale's components were related to multiple aspects of students' computer experience. CASF responses can inform a variety of instructional decisions and classroom management strategies for the first phase of the students' studies.     

Technology and young children: How 4–7 year olds perceive their own use of computers

This study examined young children’s access, perceptions and use of technology within and outside of school settings. One hundred sixty seven children from varied ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds participated in the study. Regardless of gender, socio-economic status or ethnic group, most children had access to computers in and outside of schools. In both settings, pre-K through grade 2 children report that they primarily use computers to play games. Children’s attitudes toward computers are positive. Older children tend to use the computer more often, are better able to operate the computer and their attitudes towards computers are more positive. Boys’ attitudes towards computers are more positive than the attitudes of girls, but no gender differences were found for computer use nor ability level. While no significant differences were found between the attitudes of Dutch and immigrant children, the latter group indicated more frequent use. Also, children from a lower socio-economic neighborhood had more positive attitudes towards computers and used computers slightly more often than middle class children. The findings of this study inform the debate on the desirability of young children’s exposure to computers at home as well as in educational settings. Further, these findings may help educators and parents to both critically assess their current practices (e.g. the relative value of the most frequently used applications – games), and strive to integrate developmentally appropriate uses of technology at home and in classrooms.     

Attitudes affecting college students' preferences for distance learning

Abstract Empirical studies that have examined psychological aspects of the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have indicated that certain psychological attitudes of students towards the use of ICT are of paramount importance when evaluating the effective use of distance learning approaches to instruction and learning. Distance learning at the tertiary level, through the medium of ICT, is seemingly affected by the same psychological attitudes that are known to be related to other successful ICT applications to learning and instruction. In the present study the relationship between two distance learning ICT-based configurations were examined. The results indicate that psychological attitudes held by students differentially facilitate efficient use of distance learning approaches. Satisfaction with learning, level of control of the learning process, and study motivation for distance learning are all positively related to the students' preferences for structured distance learning, whereas independence in learning is positively connected to students' preferences for the more open Internet functionality.     

Gender,Internet and computer attitudes and experiences

It is widely assumed that participation by females on the Internet is hampered by their attitudes towards computers, which in turn is reflective of their attitudes towards new technology. Research generally supports that females have less overall experience with computers and are more likely than males to have negative attitudes towards computers. Although limited, research on Internet experiences and attitudes has found parallel gender differences, with females reporting lower levels of experience and more negative attitudes. This paper explores whether Internet and computer experiences, skills and attitudes are related, using evidence from two studies of incoming college students, in 1989/90 and 1997. There were significant gender differences in many computer experiences and attitudes of incoming students in 1989/90. Males were more experienced with computers, more likely to have taken high school courses requiring computer use, and reported higher skill levels in applications such as programming, games and graphics than females. By 1997, incoming students were more experienced with using a computer than the earlier students. However, gender differences in computer experience and skill levels had diminished in some areas. The 1997 survey also assessed Internet experiences, skills, competence and comfort. Students had more exposure to computers than to the Internet. Males were more experienced and reported higher skill levels with the Internet than females, with the exception of e-mail. The overall competency and comfort level for students in 1997 was significantly higher for computers than for the Internet; 19% of the students did not feel competent and/or comfortable with the computer compared to 36% with the Internet, with females reporting higher levels of incompetence and discomfort for both. Competence and comfort levels with the Internet and computers were highly intercorrelated, and both predicted Internet skills and experiences.     

Attitudes of individuals with visual impairments towards distance education

The aims of this work were to examine the attitudes of individuals with visual impairments towards distance education (DE) and the relationships between attitudes and participants’ personal characteristics. Forty-one adults with visual impairments, who ranged in age from 20 to 40, participated in this study. A self-constructed questionnaire measuring the attitudes towards DE was employed. The participants’ answers revealed slightly positive emotions towards DE according to the affective component of attitudes, slightly positive attitudes when DE is compared with traditional education, and positive attitudes as far as the cognitive component of attitudes and participants’ intention to participate in a DE programme were concerned. The elder participants seem to have more positive attitudes towards DE compared with younger participants. Furthermore, the greater the level of education, the more positive were the attitudes towards DE, and the greater the frequency of computer usage, the more positive were the attitudes towards DE. The analysis of the data collected revealed that the sample of individuals with visual impairments had slightly positive attitudes towards DE. Age, level of education, and frequency of computer usage were found to be significant predictors of the participants’ attitudes.     

Computer attitudes of primary and secondary students in South Africa

This study investigated computer attitudes of 240 students from eight primary and secondary schools in South Africa. The student population of six of the eight schools that participated in the study can be characterised as middle or upper class. Two schools were from South African townships. All eight schools used computers for educational purposes, although the availability and use of the computers differed. The research question of the study was whether differences in computer attitude could be found between boys and girls, and to what extent these differences could be explained by student, school, and environment characteristics. In contrast to most studies on gender differences and computer attitudes, no gender differences in computer attitudes were found. However, this study showed differences in computer attitudes between students from the upper/middle class schools and students from the township schools. The latter showed a less positive attitude towards computers, but more interest in computer-related careers compared with the students in the upper/middle class schools. The study found that computer access and experience, which was significantly lower in the township schools, was also related to computer attitude.     

Student opinions on an interactive arithmetic test

The aim of this study was to assess student attitudes towards an interactive arithmetic test. A sample of 45 primary school children from Years 1 and 2 in two Western Australian primary schools participated in the study. After using the test for a period of six weeks students were invited to detail what they liked and disliked about the test and how they might improve it. Analysis of this written feedback revealed a generally positive attitude towards the test. There were just a few negative responses, mainly pertaining to the slow speed of the program on the computers used in the study.     

Applying CD‐ROM interactive storybooks to learning to read

This paper describes an investigation into the effect of CD‐ROM storybooks on primary students' attitudes towards reading. The degree of change in students' attitudes towards reading on exposure to CD‐ROM storybooks was assessed using questionnaires in an experimental pretest‐posttest design, together with interviews of reluctant readers and unstructured observations of the treatment group. Results showed that while no significant difference in children's attitudes existed between treatment and control groups after the treatment period, both groups demonstrated a similar development in their attitudes towards traditional reading materials. Further results indicated a significant difference between reluctant and willing readers in the treatment group.     

The impact of negative attitudes toward computers on employees' satisfaction and commitment within a small company

In order to examine the impact of negative attitudes toward computer usage, a survey was administered that measured attitudes toward computers, the level of job satisfaction in the work environment, and general attitudes toward the organization. Twenty-nine employees at a real estate office completed a 24-item survey during a regularly scheduled employee meeting. Attitudes toward computers were generally positive; however, about one third of the sample felt incompetent in their ability to use computers, and 21% said that they avoid using computers altogether. Results also indicated that feelings of frustration and confusion about the use of computers were associated with lower job satisfaction. While negative attitudes towards computers were related to one 's attitudes toward the job, these attitudes were unrelated to one's feeling toward the company. Thus, computerphobia may have a strong link to individual job satisfaction, with any consequence for overall attitudes toward the company operating through prolonged dissatisfaction with one's job.     

钢铁企业铁水运输调度优化与仿真

以钢铁企业铁水铁路运输为对象,通过鱼雷罐车运输(TPC)满足铁水在高炉与炼钢厂之间供需关系。以厂区铁路为网络, 在铁水运输路径选择及自动避碰算法基础上,根据铁水供需和网络点之间的距离以及道岔、信号等现场因素,提出了利用鱼雷罐车运行柔性时间和动态规划来优化铁水调度的方法,最终形成智能化的铁水调度仿真系统,辅助工作人员来对机车和铁水罐车（鱼雷罐车）实现较优调配     

Exploration of the antecedents of digital piracy through a structural equation model

The prevalence of unauthorized downloading and duplication has been a serious ethical and financial threat. The current study explored the antecedents of digital piracy attitudes and intentions in a country with a high piracy rate. A structural equation model was proposed to investigate the interrelationships among the proposed antecedents and digital piracy intentions. The model was tested with 268 high school students, 610 undergraduate students and 406 adults. Latent variables of interest were derived from the recent literature on piracy, which were facilitating conditions, optimism bias, previous experiences, prosecution risk, current habits, attitudes towards digital piracy and behavioral intention to conduct piracy. The model revealed a positive relationship between facilitating conditions and optimism bias. Optimism bias and prior experiences had a positive relationship with current digital piracy habits, whereas prosecution risk had a decreasing influence on these habits. Relationships among piracy habits, attitudes and intentions were significant as well. The structural equation model revealed acceptable and consistent fit values across three samples. Findings maintain that further research may resort to the assumptions of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Reasoned Action to explain the nature of behavioral intentions towards digital piracy and eliminate undesirable piracy acts.     

E-critical/thematic doing history project: Integrating the critical thinking approach with computer-mediated history learning

The study investigated how inclination towards critical thinking about history, and also knowledge of history could be nurtured through E-critical/thematic doing history project. Thirty-three participants from a junior high school participated in a history workshop as an extracurricular school activity. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, the history-learning questionnaire was employed to determine the effectiveness of doing history projects in promoting critical historical thinking skills among the subject group. A self-evaluation of the program, observation of student learning, and semi-structural interviews also were performed. The study found that history projects could scaffold learner development of historical and critical thinking. Students developed more positive and critical attitudes toward learning.     

Predictors of Use of Social Network Sites at Work ‐ A Specific Type of Cyberloafing

A total of 11,018 employees participated in a survey investigating whether demographic, personality, and work‐related variables could explain variance in attitudes towards and actual use of social network sites for personal purposes during working hours. Age was negatively related to both dependent variables. Male gender, single status, and education were positively associated with both dependent variables. Managers had negative attitudes to use, but top‐level managers reported more use than other respondents. Access to social network sites at the workplace was positively related to both dependent variables, whereas policies prohibiting showed the opposite relationship. Extraversion and Neuroticism were positively related to both dependent variables. Conscientiousness, positive challenge at work, and quantitative demands were all negatively related to both dependent variables.     

University students' notebook computer use: lessons learned using e-diaries to report musculoskeletal discomfort

The objective of this pilot study was to identify if notebook accessories (ergonomic chair, desktop monitor and notebook riser) combined with a wireless keyboard, mouse and participatory ergonomics training would have the greatest impact on reducing self-reported upper extremity musculoskeletal discomfort in university students. In addition to pre-post computing and health surveys, the Ecological Momentary Assessment was used to capture change in discomfort over time using a personal digital assistant (PDA) as the e-diary. The PDA was programmed with a survey containing 45 questions. Four groups of university students were randomised to either intervention (three external computer accessories) or to control. Participants reported less discomfort with the ergonomic chair and notebook riser based on the pre-post survey data and the e-diary/PDA ANOVA analysis. However, the PDA data, adjusted for the effect of hours per day of computer use, showed no benefit of the chair and limited benefit from the riser. Statement of Relevance:University students' use of notebook computers has increased. This study found evidence of a positive effect of an adjustable chair or notebook riser when combined with ergonomic training on reducing discomfort. Daily notebook computer use of 4?h was confirmed as a risk factor. Without some form of ergonomic intervention, these students are likely to enter the workforce with poor computing habits, which places them on the road to future injuries as technology continues to play a dominant role in their lives.     

An investigation of children's posture and discomfort during computer use

This study investigated schoolchildren's posture and discomfort while working at computers. Sixty-eight children (mean age 9.5 years) were observed at school during normal computer sessions lasting 15-25 min. Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) was used to evaluate posture, and a body discomfort chart (BDC) and a modified visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to record site and intensity of discomfort. Computer tasks were noted and in accordance with RULA, postures were classified as Action Level (AL) 1 (acceptable) to 4 (needs immediate change). Most children adopted postures at an unacceptable level while working at computers. None of the postures were in AL 1; 60% were in AL 2; 38% were in AL 3; and 2% were in AL 4. Posture became worse over time. Poor posture was associated with discomfort, but it is not clear if it was related to the sitting posture or to the computer use. Children who reported discomfort had a higher mean RULA grand score (5.0) than those who did not report discomfort (4.4). The type of computer task influenced the children's posture. RULA proved generally to be a suitable method for evaluating children's posture.     

Students’ attitudes towards integration of ICTs in a reading course: A case in Turkey

The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ attitudes towards the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a reading skills course offered at Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. To this end, 30 first year students of the foreign language education (FLE) department followed a four-week component of an ICTs-integrated reading skills course. To examine the students’ attitudes towards the course and the new learning environment at the end of the teaching period, an attitude questionnaire was administered and interviews were conducted. The findings indicate that despite the difficulties they faced, the students were satisfied overall with the application of ICTs in their reading course and developed positive attitudes towards online courses.     

Computer use,confidence, attitudes,and knowledge: A causal analysis

This study introduces a casual model which links measures of computer experience, computer-related attitudes, computer-related confidence, and perceived computer-based knowledge. The model is based on the concept of computer literacy, and on an attitude-behavior theory which argues that beliefs lead to attitudes, and that attitudes are an important precursor to behavior. The causal model suggests that computer use has a positive effect on perceived computer self-confidence, as well as on computer-related attitudes. The model hypothesizes that computer attitudes and computer confidence have a positive mutual effect, and that both factors positively effect perceived computer knowledge. Questionnaires were administered to 309 students in Grades 7–12. The theoretical model was tested by structural equation analysis (LISREL) and, as expected, all causal effects, including the reciprocal one, were confirmed. The contribution and relevance of these findings to future educational research and to school practices are discussed.