Towards an Understanding of the Links between Conceptual Understanding of Computer Systems and Information Technology Competence

ABSTRACT

This paper claims that there is a need for an explicit model of how preservice students develop information technology competence in order to inform course design. It is tentatively suggested that there are links between students’ mental models of computer systems and their IT competence. A pilot feasibility study is described which uses a novel research instrument that attempts to quantify students’ mental models of computer systems on two scales: level of technical sophistication and level of abstraction. Students’ scores on these scales are correlated with their self‐ratings of their information technology competence on sixteen statements from an Association for Information Technology in Teacher Education questionnaire. The findings suggest that there is no relationship between students’ information technology competence and the level of technical sophistication of their mental model of computer systems but that there is a link between information technology competence and the level of abstraction of their mental models. Areas where further work is required are identified and implications for the design of information technology courses for preservice students are discussed.