STUDENT-TEACHERS, COMPUTER ANXIETY AND COMPUTER EXPERIENCE

Recent research has demonstrated the debilitating effect of computer a nxiety on achievement in computer related learning. As controversy exi sts over the merits of increasing experience with computers in order t o reduce computer anxiety, the effects of increased computing experien ce on computer anxiety were assessed for students enrolled in a Univer sity teacher education course. In addition, other hypothesized correla tes of computer anxiety were studied, viz., age, sex, school backgroun d, and computer competence. The Computer Anxiety Rating Scale (CARS) w as used to measure computer anxiety prior to and at the conclusion of computer training. A control group, not undergoing computer training, was used for comparison purposes. Many of the teacher trainees in this study exhibited a high degree of computer anxiety on a number of key dimensions related to computing. The evidence from this study gives so me support to the notion that increased experience leads to a diminuti on in computer anxiety. However, the high levels of anxiety remaining for some students after treatment suggest that a simplistic belief tha t increased computer experience alone will reduce computer anxiety is not tenable. The article discusses the issue that initial anxiety and continuing anxiety, after computer training, may be a function of an i ndividual's prior computing experiences, attitudes towards computing, perceptions of self efficacy, and expectations of success associated w ith computer interaction.