ERIC Number: ED494009
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 8
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Impact of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Personality Traits on Computer Literacy Level
Saparniene, Diana; Merkys, Gediminas; Saparnis, Gintaras
Online Submission, Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research (Geneva, Sep 13-15, 2006)
Purpose: The paper deals with the study of students' computer literacy one of the purposes being demonstration the impact of the cognitive and non-cognitive personality traits (attention, verbal and non-verbal intelligence, emotional-motivational relationship with computer, learning strategies, etc.) on the quality of computer literacy. Methodology: The methodological foundation of the present study has been built on the notion of quantitative research developed in social and behavioral sciences, in particular--the classical test theory as well as modern strategies of mathematical data processing based on multidimensional statistics. The data were processed using SPSS. A test (theoretical and practical) on computer literacy and 2 anonymous closed type questionnaires "Student and computer" and "Student and studies" which comprised of a series of questions on computer literacy and studies, were designed. Study instruments (tests) designed by other researchers and practiced in research studies to study the respondents' attention, to rate their general intelligence and their knowledge of terminology and to measure their verbal and non-verbal intelligence were used. Results: The empirical-experimental part of the present study is based on the series of diagnostic studies with the total number of 1004 surveyed students. They represented 4 Lithuanian universities and 5 high schools and colleges. 84.7% of the sample were university students, 15.3%--students from high schools and colleges. The psychometric characteristics of the study variables designed and discussed in the paper. The psychometric validity of the scales were evaluated by Factorial Analysis. In order to determine interrelation of diagnostic variables Correlation Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis were used. Conclusions: The research on the students' computer literacy showed that personality's cognitive and non-cognitive traits in some measure really influence computer literacy although they are not a fatal (everything determining) factor. Consequently, a normal, ordinary student, without any extraordinary abilities can successfully become a qualified user of computer and information technologies. Out of psychological constructs analyzed in this study, students' computer literacy is relatively most strongly affected by the emotional-motivational relationship with computer. The relatively strongest emotional-motivational predictor of the computer literacy is attitude towards computer as a "source of fatigue, stress and dissatisfaction". The stronger this attitude the more probable is lower computer literacy, and vice versa, the higher level of computer literacy is caused by stress-free computer work that leads to satisfaction. It has been determined that there exists close to medium strong and statistically significant relationship between the computer literacy and attention, while intelligence has a somewhat weaker relationship with computer literacy. (Contains 6 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Program Effectiveness, Computer Literacy, Psychometrics, Personality Traits, Test Theory, Multiple Regression Analysis, Intelligence, Information Technology, Cognitive Style, Predictor Variables, Stress Variables, Correlation, Foreign Countries, College Students, Motivation, Emotional Response, High School Students, Factor Analysis
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: High Schools; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Lithuania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A