Information Science student IT experience and attitude toward computers: results of a five-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Questionnaires were distributed at the start of each academic year to all new undergraduate students in the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University on induction day. The survey was carried out over five successive years from 1995 to 1999. The questionnaire was in two parts (see appendix). Part A was designed by the first author and asked students to rate their experience, ability, knowledge and confidence on a variety of IT topics, and to state where any experience had been gained. Part B comprised 51 attitude items devised in Canada (Temple & Lips, 1989). Information was also recorded on the programme of study, gender and age of respondents. Student experience of general office software is increasing and a significant increase in Internet experience is apparent. However prior experience with programming is not increasing in IS students. Incoming IS undergraduates also see themselves as having less ability with programming that with most other computing skills. Males rate their ability more highly than females and mature students were less likely to rate themselves highly than school leavers. Attitudes were very similar to those found by Temple and Lips (1989) in Canada, indicating that these are not culturally dependant concerns. IConsequently, university staff must make more effort to redress the hidden level of computer anxiety, especially among females. There is a need for increased appreciation that students may have computer anxiety, and that this will be exacerbated unless dealt with early on in the year. This will benefit students both academically and into their employment. Assumptions about computer based learning environments must take into account student concerns.