Difference Between Young and Old Adults’ Performance on the Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) Test Battery: What Is the Role of Familiarity With Technology in Cognitive Performance?

Objective: The Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) Test Battery is a recent computerized software for the assessment of cognitive functioning in clinical and healthy populations. However, its applicability for the assessment of old adults and the role of level of familiarity with technology on performance have not been tested. Method: To verify if PEBL Test Battery is sensitive to aging cognitive decline, we assessed young and older adults’ performance on the neuropsychological tests relative to the following domains: verbal and visuospatial short-term memory, selective attention, inhibition to interference, planning and problem-solving, set-shifting, and cognitive flexibility. The difference between the two groups was studied taking into account the self-reported level of familiarity with technology, measured through the Attitudes Toward Computers Questionnaire. Results: Old participants showed a lower level of cognitive performance compared with the younger group, in line with the traditional literature about cognitive function decline in aging. However, this difference was not related to the level of familiarity with technology. Conclusion: Our descriptive study seemed to support the applicability of PEBL Test Battery for testing old adults’ cognitive functioning. However, some criticisms and future improvements about this computerized battery were discussed for its applicability in clinical, rehabilitative and research contexts.

Nursing Students’ Computer Self-Efficacy and Attitudes toward Its Use in The Health Care Setting: A Comparative Study

Context: The use of technology and computers in health care has been reported to improve nurses' decision-making and competencies, which in turn increase the quality of health-care practice. Aim: of this study is to assess and compare nursing students’ computer self-efficacy and attitudes toward its use in a health care setting in the Faculty of nursing – Benha and Hail Universities. Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study design was used to achieve the current study aim. The study conducted in the Faculty of Nursing - Banha University, Egypt, and Faculty of Nursing – Hail University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Quota sampling of 219 students was chosen as follows; 190 students from the Faculty of Nursing - Banha University and 29 students from the Faculty of Nursing – Hail University. A structured self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic data, the pretest for attitudes toward computers in healthcare, and computer self-efficacy scales were the tool used to collect the study data. Results: 33% of nursing students from Benha University were have a realistic view of current computer capabilities in health care. In contrast, 28% of nursing students from Hail had a very positive view of computer use in health care. Nursing students at Hail University have the highest mean score compared to Benha nursing students (79.45±15.85 & 61.2±7.25, respectively) in their attitudes toward computer and computer self-efficacy. Benha nursing students have moderate computer self-efficacy compared with Hail nursing students who have a high computer self-efficacy level. A highly statistically significant relationship was detected between students' attitudes toward computers and computer self-efficacy (p-value=0.000). Also, there was a highly positive, statistically significant correlation between the demographic variables of nursing students and both students’ attitudes toward computers in health care and computer self-efficacy (p-value =0.00). Conclusion: Nursing students in both universities have a positive attitude toward computer use. A significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups in their attitude toward computer and self-efficacy was detected, with a highly statistically significant correlation between both students’ attitudes and their self-efficacy. Also, a significant relationship revealed between the studied students’ demographics and their attitude and self-efficacy. Future studies are recommended to evaluate existing technologies in terms of acceptance, effectiveness, and efficiency in real-life settings and to examine its effect on patient outcomes. Nurse educators should design training courses and educational programs to enhance computer self-efficacy beliefs among nursing students.

Attitudes Toward Computers: The Gender Gap Revisited

From the 1994 CAIS Conference:The Information Industry in TransitionMcGill University, Montreal, Quebec. May 25 - 27, 1994.A survey conducted on the first day of an introductory computer class designed for business students showed that there was a attitudinal gender gap in 1984; women expressed significantly more apprehension than men about learning to use computers. In 1993, there were no statistically significant differences in the responses of men and women, but men were beginning to report more concern than women. Only one specific area -concern about possible physical hazards or discomfort - showed an overall increase from 1984 to 1993.

Teacher Educators´ Attitudes Toward Computers: A Study Among Teacher Educators in Teacher´ – Training Colleges in Johor, Malaysia

Guru memikul tanggungjawab yang berat dalam memastikan pelajar mengalami suasana pembelajaran yang memerangsangkan. Teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi, khususnya komputer, merupakan alat yang strategik memperkayakan suasana pembelajaran. Pensyarah maktab merupakan barisan depan yang sepatutnya mampu membimbing guru pelatih mengintegrasikan penggunaan komputer dalam proses pembelajaran. Pensyarah yang cekap menggunakan komputer dan memiliki sikap positif terhadap komputer diharap akan dapat menjana ilmu dan kemahiran mereka kepada guru pelatih agar dapat dipraktikkan dalam sistem persekolahan. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mengenalpasti tahap penggunaan komputer dan sikap terhadap komputer dikalangan pensyarah maktab perguruan berdasarkan ciri–ciri demografi terpilih. Kajian ini juga melihat perhubungan antara komponen sikap afektif seperti minat, keyakinan dan kebimbangan terhadap penggunaan komputer dengan penggunaan komputer dalam urusan pendidikan. Kajian ini menggunakan soal selidik untuk memperolehi data demografi, tahap penggunaan komputer dan sikap terhadap komputer yang diperlukan daripada sampel. Computer Attitude Scale oleh Lyod dan Gressard telah digunakan untuk mengukur sikap terhadap komputer. Kajian ini melibatkan seramai 224 pensyarah dari tiga buah maktab perguruan di Johor, Malaysia. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan para pensyarah menggunakan komputer pada tahap sederhana dalam mengendalikan kursus yang mereka ajar. Penggunaan komputer yang kerap adalah pada penyediaan soalan dan pengubalan soalan peperiksaan. Penggunaan yang paling kurang ialah pada Pengajaran Berpandukan Komputer. Pensyarah yang tidak mempunyai pengalaman menggunakan komputer menunjukkan perkaitan yang signifikan dengan sikap jarang menggunakan komputer berbanding dengan mereka yang mempunyai pengalaman lebih setahun. Secara amnya, pensyarah mempunyai sikap positif dan kurang bimbang menggunakan komputer untuk pengajaran dan pembelajaran. Ketiga–tiga domain sikap (minat, keyakinan, kebimbangan) menunjukkan perhubungan yang signifikan dengan penggunaan komputer. Keyakinan dan minat mempunyai hubungan yang positif terhadap penggunaan komputer manakala kebimbangan mempunyai hubungan yang negatif terhadap penggunaan komputer. Kata kunci: Pensyarah maktab perguruan; sikap; komputer; maktab perguruan Teachers shoulder the heavy responsibility of ensuring that students experience a meaningful learning environment. Information and communication technologies, in general, and computers, in particular has been put forward as a strategic tool for enhancing these learning environments. Teacher educators, as frontliners of the teacher preparation process, should themselves be well versed in the fields of integrating computers into the learning processes. Teacher educators who use computers regularly and have positive attitudes towards computers it is hoped, will rub on some of their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to future teachers who will enter the school system. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of computer use and attitude towards computer among teacher educators. Differences in computer use among teacher educators based on selected demographic data are also investigated. This study also looks at the relationship between attitude towards computers, namely liking, confidence and anxiety with computer use for educational purposes among teacher educators. A questionnaire was designed to obtain the necessary demographics, levels of computer use and attitudes of the sample toward computers. The Computer Attitude Scale by Lyod and Gressard was used to measure the attitudes toward computers. The sample consisted of 224 teacher educators at three teacher–training colleges in Johor, Malaysia. Findings indicate that the teacher educators used computers moderately in the course of their work. Teacher educators mosfly used the computers for preparing exercises and examination questions. Computer assisted instruction was seldom utilized. Teacher educators without experience in using computers exhibit significantly less computer use as compared to those with more than a year of computer use experience. In general, the teacher educators have positive attitudes and low anxiety toward using computers for teaching and learning. The three attitude domains (liking, confidence and anxiety) were significantly related to computer use. Confidence and liking were positively related to computer use while anxiety was negatively related to computer use. Key words: Teacher educator; attitudes; computer; teacher training college