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Knowledge and Attitudes towards Computers among Graduates from Developing Countries

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Advances in Medical Education
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Summary

The knowledge about and attitude towards computer use of 15 foreign graduates from developing countries attending the International Course for Health Managers in Rome was researched. A questionnaire on their familiarity with computers, expertise in the programmes used in the course and attitude towards the role of computers in the health management profession was administered at the beginning and at the end of the one year course. More than half of the graduates had had no prior contact with or knowledge about computers. Few had used them before, especially for word-processing. At the end of the one year course, all of them acknowledged to have used computers with relatively moderate expertise in word-processing and bibliographic retrieval programmes and little expertise in statistical analysis and computer-assisted instruction programmes.

At the beginning of the course their general attitude towards computers and its relevance to their work was positive and this was maintained throughout the course. The study shows that graduates from developing countries have positive ideas towards computers and feel it is high time computer technology is introduced in their countries.

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Ahmed, A.M., Guerra, G., Giaconi, J., Piccinno, F. (1997). Knowledge and Attitudes towards Computers among Graduates from Developing Countries. In: Scherpbier, A.J.J.A., van der Vleuten, C.P.M., Rethans, J.J., van der Steeg, A.F.W. (eds) Advances in Medical Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4886-3_97

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4886-3_97

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6048-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4886-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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