Computer-related success and failure: a longitudinal field study of the factors influencing computer-related performance

This study used a path analysis of longitudinal data collected from 75 manufacturing employees participating in a computer training course, to test a model of the intrapersonal processes impacting computer-related performance. Gender, computer experience, and attributional style were found to be predictive of computer attitudes, which were in turn related to computer efficacy, task-specific performance expectations, and post-performance anxiety. Computer training was effective in raising user efficacy levels and improving computer performance. In addition, post-training efficacy was predictive of subsequent computer performance. Finally, performance outcomes and future performance expectations were predictive of users’ affective reactions.     

Gender differences in children's reactions to success and failure with computers

This study examined an attributional style explanation for gender differences in computer use and attitudes. A total of 127 Grade 5 subjects filled out questionnaires assessing computer experience. Surprisingly, there were no gender differences in liking for computers. However, consistent with previous research, boys thought that they had more ability with computers, boys used computers more frequently, and more boys had computers at home. Subjects were then randomly assigned to use either a “failure” computer program, a “success” program, or no program. Results showed that boys provided unstable attributions for failure with the computer (e.g., bad disk, lack of effort) more often than girls did, whereas girls provided unstable attributions for success (e.g., easy program, effort) with the computer more often than boys did. Both boys and girls who made stable attributions for success or unstable attributions for failure were more enthusiastic about using computers in the future, indicating that gender differences in attitudes toward computer use can be explained by gender differences in attributions for performance. The data also suggest that gender differences in relaxation and expectations for improvement were due to gender differences in stability of attributions, frequency of previous computer use, and perceived competence with computers.     

Causal attributions of success and failure made by undergraduate students in an introductory-level computer programming course

The purpose of this research is to identify the causal attributions of business computing students in an introductory computer programming course, in the computer science department at Notre Dame University, Louaize. Forty-five male and female undergraduates who completed the computer programming course that extended for a 13-week semester participated. Narrative interviews were conducted to obtain their perceptions. While some research confirmed that the four most responsible causes for success and failure in achievement contexts are ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck, this research shows that in its context ‘ability’ and ‘luck’ were absent, and ‘task difficulty’ and ‘effort’ were almost absent. In all, participants made 10 causal attributions that were either cultural or specific to computer programming. The 10 causal attributions are ‘learning strategy’, ‘lack of study’, ‘lack of practice’, ‘subject difficulty’, ‘lack of effort’, ‘appropriate teaching method’, ‘exam anxiety’, ‘cheating’, ‘lack of time’, and ‘unfair treatment’. All high achievers cited appropriate ‘learning strategy’.     

Understanding the continuance use of social network sites: a computer self-efficacy perspective

Based on social cognitive theory and the balanced thinking–feelings model, this study proposes a research model to examine the different roles of general computer self-efficacy (CSE) and specific CSE. The research model was tested with a survey of university students in Singapore in the Facebook context. It is found that while general CSE affects continuance intention through both cognition and affection, specific CSE mainly affects continuance intention through cognition. It is also found that general computer experience affects general CSE only and specific computer experience affects specific CSE only.     

Group attributional training as an effective approach to human resource development under team work systems

An experimental programme of group attributional training under team work system was conducted as part of human resource development in Chinese industrial enterprises. One hundred and ten shopfloor employees participated in the study. Among them, 58 employees took part in the factorial-designed experiment to find out the effects of attributions on performance, and 52 employees of ten work groups participated in the group attributional training programme twice a week for two months. The results showed that the group attributional training was effective in modifying employees' attributional patterns and enhancing group performance and satisfaction. On the basis of the results, an attributional model of work motivation is proposed, and its theoretical and practical implications for human resource management discussed.     

Different experiences,different effects: a longitudinal study of learning a computer program in a network environment

Students’ previous computer experience has been widely considered an important factor affecting subsequent computer performance. However, little research has been done to examine the contributions of different types of computer experience to computer performance at different time points. The present study compared the effects of four types of computer experience on 30 graduate students’ learning of a statistical program over one semester. Among the four types of computer experience, students’ earlier experience of using computer network systems was found to affect their initial performance of learning the statistics program, but the experience of using statistical programs, the experience of email programs, and the length of using computers did not. These findings suggest complex relationships between students’ computer experience and their computer performance and have implications for both learning and teaching computer programs and understanding the transfer of learning.     

The influence of computer anxiety on experienced computer users while performing complex computer tasks

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis whether computer anxiety has a hindering effect on experienced computer users while performing complex computer tasks. Participants were 75 third-year psychology students taking a Delphi programming course. Prior to the course, a computer anxiety scale was filled in. Computer performance was measured in four different ways: through final course grade, predicted final grade, self-perceived programming skills, and through observed behavior while programming a computer application. The results showed that computer anxiety was found to correlate with the students’ prediction of their final grade and with the perception of their own computer skills, but had no effect on actual performance as measured by the final course grade. Furthermore, there was no significant effect of computer anxiety on behavioral measures while students were programming a computer application. The findings point into the direction of a “threshold effect”, where anxiety only hinders performance when this anxiety is sufficiently severe or when the context in which the task to be executed on a computer is ambiguous.     

Increasing Attributional Certainty via Social Media: Learning About Others One Bit at a Time

This study presents a novel examination of changes in attributions about individuals via information obtained from online sources within the context of hiring decisions. An experiment had 127 participants examine dossiers collected about a job applicant, in some conditions containing either positively or negatively valenced information about the applicant, obtained from the Internet. Results indicated online information significantly increases attributional certainty and positively valenced online information led to more favorable impressions of the applicant's perceived fit and employability. Surprisingly, results also violate assumptions of the increased magnitude of attributions due to negative information. Findings are discussed with respect to uncertainty reduction strategies, the negativity effect of online information, and implications for job seekers and employers.     

计算机专业大学生学业成绩性别差异研究

通过对计算机专业470位大学生学业成绩的统计分析,探讨计算机专业大学生学业中的性别差异及其对教育工作的启示。结果表明,计算机专业女生学业状况明显优于男生,其中专业理论课程优势较大,设计实习课程优势较小。此外,还发现在平时表现、成绩走向等方面也存在性别差异。文章分析了差异形成的原因,并对教学提出了一些建议。     

A contextual game-based learning approach to improving students' inquiry-based learning performance in social studies courses

Inquiry-based learning, an effective instructional strategy, can be in the form of a problem or task for triggering student engagement. However, how to situate students in meaningful inquiry activities remains to be settled, especially for social studies courses. In this study, a contextual educational computer game is developed to improve students' learning performance based on an inquiry-based learning strategy. An experiment has been conducted on an elementary school social studies course to evaluate the effects of the proposed approach on the inquiry-based learning performances of students with different learning styles. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach effectively enhanced the students' learning effects in terms of their learning achievement, learning motivation, satisfaction degree and flow state. Furthermore, it is also found that the proposed approach benefited the “active” learning style students more than the “reflective” style students in terms of learning achievement. This suggests the need to provide additional supports to students with particular learning styles in the future.     

The influence of temperament style on a student’s choice of and performance in a computer programming course

This study is an attempt to determine whether it is necessary to include temperament style when compiling an instrument to predict a student’s chances of success in a computer programming course. Temperament style is seen as the combination of qualities which constitute the natural disposition of an individual and which affect actions, thinking and emotions. The DISC model, as adapted by Boyd [Boyd, C. F. (1994). Different children, different needs: the art of adjustable parenting. Oregon: Questar Publishers Inc.], views people as behaving along two orthogonal dimensions: the speed at which a person moves through life, and his/her general focus when doing things, i.e. on people or on tasks. This study proved that both of these dimensions have an influence on the performance of students in a computer programming course while one of them also has an influence on a student’s choice to pursue a programming course.     

Observations of achievement and motivation in using cloud computing driven CAD: Comparison of college students with high school and vocational high school backgrounds

Cloud computing technology has matured as it has been integrated with every kind of digitalization processes. It offers numerous advantages for data and software sharing, and thus making the management of complex IT systems much simpler. For education in engineering, cloud computing even provides students with versatile and ubiquitous access to software commonly used in the field without having to step into an actual computer lab. Our study analyzed learning attitudes and academic performances induced by the utilization of resources driven by cloud computing technologies. Comparisons were made between college students with high school and vocational high school backgrounds. One hundred and thirty-two students who took the computer-aided designing (CAD) course participated in the study. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used as the fundamental framework. Open-ended sets of questionnaires were designed to measure academic performance and causal attributions; the results indicated no significant differences in the cognitive domain between the two groups of students, though it is not so in both the psychomotor and the affective domains. College students with vocational high school background appeared to possess higher learning motivation in CAD applications.     

程序设计教学中学生程序设计风格的养成

计算机程序设计课程已成为普通高校本科教学中的公共基础课程之一。目前,关于该课程的一个较普遍的问题是课程结束后学生的实际程序设计能力依然比较差,所编写出来的程序的代码质量不高。原因之一是学生没有养成良好的程序设计风格。着重探讨程序设计风格养成的重要性,以及如何在课程教学中引导学生重视并养成良好的程序设计风格。     

PowerPoint’s power in the classroom: enhancing students’ self-efficacy and attitudes

The current study examined the effects of non-interactive computer assisted instruction on students’ performance, self-efficacy, motivation, and attitudes. Half the lectures presented to two Introduction to Psychology college classes were taught in a traditional lecture format and half were accompanied by PowerPoint multimedia. Lecture order was counterbalanced across classes. Whereas lecture style did not affect academic performance, students had more positive attitudes about the course and greater self-efficacy with PowerPoint. In the class that started with PowerPoint lectures, student motivation declined after PowerPoint stopped accompanying lectures. However, student motivation did not increase after PowerPoint was added in the other class.     

Predicting student performance in a blended MOOC

Predicting student performance is a major tool in learning analytics. This study aims to identify how different measures of massive open online course (MOOC) data can be used to identify points of improvement in MOOCs. In the context of MOOCs, student performance is often defined as course completion. However, students could have other learning objectives than MOOC completion. Therefore, we define student performance as obtaining personal learning objective(s). This study examines a subsample of students in a graduate‐level blended MOOC who shared on‐campus course completion as a learning objective. Aggregated activity frequencies, specific course item frequencies, and order of activities were analysed to predict student performance using correlations, multiple regressions, and process mining. All aggregated MOOC activity frequencies related positively to on‐campus exam grade. However, this relation is less clear when controlling for past performance. In total, 65% of the specific course items showed significant correlations with final exam grade. Students who passed the course spread their learning over more days compared with students who failed. Little difference was found in the order of activities within the MOOC between students who passed and who failed. The results are combined with course evaluations to identify points of improvement within the MOOC.     

Effects of an online learning community on active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitudes in a face-to-face undergraduate course

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an Online Learning Community (OLC) on active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitude in a face-to-face undergraduate digital design course. 814 freshmen in an introductory digital design course were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: one offered students an OLC, which required students to discuss their assignments and readings online and participate in certain online learning activities; the other one did not offer the OLC (NC: no online learning community), but required involving students in face-to-face discussion. Individual students’ learning styles were measured using Felder and Solomon’s Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire. Results indicated that both active and reflective learners in the OLC intervention performed significantly better than those who were in the NC intervention. Results also indicated that active learners performed significantly better than reflective learners in the NC intervention; however, reflective learners performed significantly better than active learners in the OLC intervention. No significant difference between active and reflective learners’ attitudes was found. These findings indicated that OLC might be an effective means for improving both active and reflective learners’ learning performance and attitudes; however, its effects on active learners might not be as great as on reflective learners.     

Motivational influences on computer-related affective states

Previous studies have established the importance of computer-related affective variables in predicting user satisfaction, frequency of use, and students academic performance. This study examined the effects of motivation to learn to use computers, and previous experience with computers on three computer-related affective states: anxiety, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Participants included 59 male and 52 female university and college students enrolled in introductory computer programming and fundamental courses. Gender differences were found in previous experience with computers, as well as most of the motivation, and all of the affective variables. A path analysis was used to further investigate these relations and to examine their effect on academic performance in introductory computer classes. Results supported the theoretical model, with some modifications. Gender differences in structure were negligible. Finally, students were grouped according to reasons for taking the course: intrinsic, extrinsic, or both. Significant differences among the three groups were found for six of the 10 variables, in all cases favoring an intrinsic motivational orientation.     

Web-based peer assessment: feedback for students with various thinking-styles

Abstract This study used aptitude treatment interaction design to examine how feedback formats (specific vs. holistic) and executive thinking styles (high vs. low) affect web-based peer assessment. An Internet-based (anonymous) peer-assessment system was developed and used by 58 computer science students who submitted assignments for peer review. The results indicated that while students with high executive thinking styles significantly improved over two rounds of peer assessment, low executive students did not improve through the cycles. In addition, high executive students contributed substantially better feedback than their low executive counterparts. In the second round of peer assessment, thinking style and feedback format interactively affected student learning. Low executive students receiving specific feedback significantly outperformed those receiving holistic feedback. In receiving holistic feedback, high executive thinkers outperformed their low executive counterparts. This study suggests that future web-based peer assessment adopts a specific feedback format for all students.     

Team shared mental model as a contributing factor to team performance and students’ course satisfaction in blended courses

The purpose of the study was to examine how team shared mental model (SMM), team performance, and students’ course satisfaction change over time and how Team-SMM affects team performance and students’ course satisfaction. Forty-eight preservice teachers from two undergraduate blended courses participated in this study. The data were obtained via two online questionnaires (shared mental model instrument and Course Satisfaction Scale) administered throughout Spring 2010. Data analysis was conducted using repeated measures ANOVA and multiple linear regression techniques. Results indicated that Team-SMM and students’ course satisfaction changed slightly over time but the change was not statistically significant. Team performance increased significantly over the courses. Additionally, attitudes towards teammates and task were closely linked with effective team performance and students satisfaction. In the early stage of the courses, general team knowledge, resource, and environment explained a significant amount of variance in students’ course satisfaction.