Abstract
The effects of experience on attitudes toward computers and judgments of confidence, or self-efficacy, for specific computer technologies were investigated. Thirty-two students in a “computer applications in physical education” course participated in the study. The Computer Technologies Survey was used as a pretest and posttest measure to assess students' attitudes toward computers and perceived self-efficacy for electronic mail (e-mail) and word processing. Treatment conditions required the students to communicate with the instructor via e-mail, a word-processed note, or handwritten note. These conditions manipulated experience with e-mail and word processing while keeping instructor-student interaction constant. Students' judgments of computer capability significantly increased from pretest to posttest across all treatments. A direct relationship between time-on-task and levels of confidence was not found which suggests that “quality” rather than “quantity” of computer experience may be most critical.
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Ertmer, P.A., Evenbeck, E., Cennamo, K.S. et al. Enhancing self-efficacy for computer technologies through the use of positive classroom experiences. ETR&D 42, 45–62 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02298094
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02298094