Inhaltsverzeichnis:
More and more, professional success depends upon
reasonable application of computer technology. However, not
all people find easy access. Certainly, two major hindrances
are computer anxiety (CAX) and lack of computer self-
efficacy (CSE). There are theoretical as well as empirical
arguments for this claim. According to learning theory
(Skinner, 1961), people will avoid aversive stimuli, as for
example a computer which arises anxiety. According to self-
efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) people will only try a
behavior if they believe themselves capable, that is, if
they feel efficacious about this behavior. Empirical results
indicate that CAX has negative effects on computer use
(Harrington, McElroy, & Morrow, 1990; Mahar, Henderson, &
Deane, 1997; Todman & Monaghan, 1994) and computer
performance (Bradley & Russell, 1997; Brosnan, 1998;
Harrington, 1988; Heinssen, Glass, & Knight, 1987; Mahar,
Henderson, & Deane, 1997; Marcoulides, 1988). For CSE,
empirical results indicate positive effects on interest in
using computers (Hill, Smith, & Mann, 1987), need for
learning computer skills (Zhang & Espinoza, 1997), and
computer performance (Brosnan, 1998; Christoph, Schoenfeld,
& Tansky, 1998; Gist, Schwoerer, & Rosen, 1989; Karsten &
Roth, 1998).
Because CAX and CSE have such far-reaching effects,
computer education - especially for beginners - should not
only aim at mediating knowledge, but also at reducing CAX
and enlarging CSE. For this purpose, empirically valid
knowledge about factors influencing these variables is
required. Several relevant empirical studies are at hand.
Some of these are designed to isolate the effect of single
influence factors, especially certain aspects of the
education style (Gist, Schoerer & Rosen, 1989; Keeler &
Anson, 1995; Reznich, 1996). Others are typical evaluational
no-control-group studies focussing on a specific educational
treatment, as for example an introductory course in certain
computer skills (e.g. Fitzgerald, Hardin, & Hollingssead,
1997; Häkkinen, 1994-95) or a computer-assisted course
with a non-computer theme (Lambert & Lenthall, 1989; Liu &
Reed, 1995). Some studies have an intermediate status,
insofar as courses of a different kind are compared (Leso &
Peck, 1992; Maurer & Simonson, 1993-94; Overbaugh & Reed,
1994-95).
Both kinds of studies contrasted here have specific
advantages and disadvantages. Studies focussing on single
influence factors provide by far more internally valid
information. However, this is information mainly restricted
to exactly the investigated influence factor, and - for
practical and/or ethical reasons - only a few of the
infinitely many possible factors can be investigated in a
proper quasi-experimental or even experimental design.
Studies focussing on a specific, rather complex educational
treatment provide information which is distinctly more
ambiguous. However, very often this is the only available
information and - especially if interpreted together with
the results of other studies - this information can help to
determine the set of educational treatments reducing CAX and
enlarging CSE. Moreover, this information may suggest
hypotheses about the most effective influence factors.
Within this article, a study of the intermediate kind
is presented. Two university courses which were concerned
with computers are compared with three university courses
which were not. All of these courses addressed preservice
teachers1 in the first part of their academic studies and
were all given during the same term at a German university.
The two courses concerned with computers were 1) an
introductory computer course with teacher-assisted training
of different basic computer skills and 2) a lecture
introducing educational sciences with special reference to
computer technology. The three other courses were all other
lectures given during the same term as alternative
introductions into educational sciences. All of these
courses address the same clientele. In addition to
preservice teachers, students of other disciplines could
also attend the courses. Apart from very few constraints,
students could freely choose among the courses.