An Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision Making Approach for Tablet Computer Selection

Today, educational institutions follow modern technology and use technological products such as smart board and tablet computer widely as education tools owing to the rapidly developing technology. The lessons supported by these technologies, make learning more effective by influencing student motivation positively. In that scope, the discussed developing technology and its innovative tools will help to improve the quality of education in the long term and contribute to the development of the different skills of the students. In this study, tablet computer selection problem of a high school located in Denizli, Turkey will be analyzed deeply. That determined high school decided to use tablet computers in the lessons as an education tool and the school management aimed to select the most suitable tablet computer to give their students. In this context, tablet computer alternatives have been assessed by an integrated approach based on the combined use of two MCDM (Multi Criteria Decision Making) methods; AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and OCRA (Operational Competitiveness RAting). The weights of the criteria were determined with AHP method, then OCRA method was used to rank tablet computer alternatives. The school management has been guided in the selection process of the most suitable tablet computer for their students. They found the search results satisfactory and decided to buy the selected tablet computer by the integrated MCDM method proposed in this study.

Gender-Based Factors in Computing Enrollments and Achievement: Evidence from a Study of Tertiary Students

Fewer females than males enroll in secondary and tertiary computing courses. This has implications for both the national economy and for the development of women as individuals. Explanations for gender differences in enrollments place varying emphasis on 1) social learning explanations focusing on the importance of experience, encouragement from significant others, the provision of male role models, and the generalization of pre-existing attitudes to mathematics and science, 2) category-based explanations of computer selection and avoidance, 3) beliefs about gender differences in abilities, and 4) gender differences in attributions for success and failure. Using a sample of 222 Australian first year tertiary students enrolled in a compulsory unit of computer studies, data were collected from questionnaires and the university database. Initial gender differences in computing experience and attitudes were found. Women were less likely to intend to pursue further computing studies, although their achievement was comparable to that of men. Achievement related to computing experience and in the case of men, to mathematics experience. Intentions to pursue further computing studies related to attitudes to computing and, in the case of women to mathematics experience and attitudes to statistics. The results are discussed in terms of the different roles of prior experience and attitudes and the implications for changing women's attitudes to computing.