Main Article Content
Psycho-Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Computer Anxiety Among Distance Learning Students In A Nigerian University
Abstract
The study investigated psycho-demographic variables such as gender,
age, frequency of computer use weekly, attitudes toward computer and computer self efficacy as predictors of computer anxiety among distance learning students in a Nigerian University. The study employed survey research design where the participants were accidentally sampled for the study. Five hundred and two (N=502) students comprising of 346 males and 156 females of four Faculties (Social Sciences, Education, Science and Arts) participated in the study. The participants ages ranged from 18 to 42 years old with mean age of 25.3 years old (SD= 5.12). The participants completed Attitudes toward computer, Computer Self Efficacy and Computer Anxiety scales in the study. Results indicated that ages of students, computer use experience, frequency of computer use weekly,
attitudes toward computer and computer self efficacy jointly predicted computer anxiety {F(5,496) =27.76; P<.01} accounting for 22% (R2=0.22) variation in the students’ computer anxiety. The results further showed that all the predictor variables except computer use experience independently predicted computer anxiety among the students. Finally, the results indicated that female students experience higher level of computer anxiety than male students {t (500) = -3.59; P<.01}. It is therefore concluded that the predictor variables investigated in this study have significant contributions in determining computer anxiety among
distance learning students; and that computer anxiety differs based on the
gender of students. However, findings showed that the students are high in
computer anxiety and the implications of the findings were discussed.
age, frequency of computer use weekly, attitudes toward computer and computer self efficacy as predictors of computer anxiety among distance learning students in a Nigerian University. The study employed survey research design where the participants were accidentally sampled for the study. Five hundred and two (N=502) students comprising of 346 males and 156 females of four Faculties (Social Sciences, Education, Science and Arts) participated in the study. The participants ages ranged from 18 to 42 years old with mean age of 25.3 years old (SD= 5.12). The participants completed Attitudes toward computer, Computer Self Efficacy and Computer Anxiety scales in the study. Results indicated that ages of students, computer use experience, frequency of computer use weekly,
attitudes toward computer and computer self efficacy jointly predicted computer anxiety {F(5,496) =27.76; P<.01} accounting for 22% (R2=0.22) variation in the students’ computer anxiety. The results further showed that all the predictor variables except computer use experience independently predicted computer anxiety among the students. Finally, the results indicated that female students experience higher level of computer anxiety than male students {t (500) = -3.59; P<.01}. It is therefore concluded that the predictor variables investigated in this study have significant contributions in determining computer anxiety among
distance learning students; and that computer anxiety differs based on the
gender of students. However, findings showed that the students are high in
computer anxiety and the implications of the findings were discussed.
