Fear or Frustration? Students’ Attitudes Toward Computers and School

Abstract

Three classes of seventh-grade students were exposed to microcomputers during a 9-month period as part of a government-sponsored electronic-learning project. Near the beginning of the project, interviews were conducted with students and teachers to ascertain their feelings toward computers. In addition, students were administered a computer-opinion survey from which a computer-anxiety index (CAIN) was derived, as well as a questionnaire about the quality of their school life. At the end of 9 months, the questionnaires were read-ministered and the teachers and selected students were again interviewed. Results from the computer-opinion surveys and from selected interviews revealed that factors other than computer anxiety explained an increase in CAIN scores. These included frustration related to lack of access, students’ prior perception of computers as game devices, and teacher attitudes toward computer use. A significant interaction between gender and class group was also found. No identifiable effect of the presence of the computers on the quality of school life was discerned.

Keywords:

• attitudes
• computer utilization
• gender