The Effect of Progressive Computer Technology on Student Anxiety at a Two Year College

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine computer-related anxiety and its impact on the educational setting. A review of literature was the primary focus of the study. The research found that computer anxiety was prevalent in post-secondary education, and for some students it could pose a serious academic barrier. Various methods of addressing computer anxiety and maximizing student success were suggested. Additional local information was generated by surveying students in an Introduction to Microcomputers course at a two-year vocational technical college. During the first two weeks of the spring semester of 1997, 284 students completed a demographic questionnaire and a battery of 3 surveys designed to measure computer anxiety. The surveys were repeated for comparison approximately four weeks before the end of the semester to determine if there were alterations in student anxiety levels. The final number of usable surveys was 175, or approximately 61% of the original group. Responses were grouped into categories of No Anxiety, Low Anxiety, and Moderate to High Anxiety. The early survey indicated 43% No Anxiety, 30% Low Anxiety, and 27% High Anxiety. In the final administration, this changed to 61%, 23%, and 16% respectively. Implications for these results, as well as demographic variables related to the survey are discussed.