Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Computer literacy Study and teaching Psychological aspects'

The purpose of this study was to compare the achievement and test anxiety level of students taking a conventional paper-and-pencil science test comprising multiple-choice questions, and a computer-based version of the same test. The study assessed the equivalence of the computer-based and paper-and-pencil tests in terms of achievement scores and item characteristics, explored the relationship between computer anxiety and previous computer experience, and investigated the affective impact of computerized testing on the students. A 2 X 2 (mode of test administration by gender) factorial design was used. A sample of 54 male and 51 female Grade 10 students participated in the study. Subjects were blocked by gender and their scores on a previous school-based science exam. They were then randomly assigned to take either the computer-based test or the paper-and-pencil test, both versions of which were identical in length, item content and sequence. Three days before the test, all students were given the "Attitude questionnaire" which included pre-measures of test and computer anxiety. Immediately after taking the test, students in the computer-based group completed the "Survey of attitudes towards testing by computers" questionnaire which assessed their previous computer experience, their test anxiety and computer anxiety level while taking the test, and their reactions towards computer-based testing. Students in the paper-and-pencil test group answered the "Survey of attitudes towards testing" questionnaire which measured their test anxiety level while they were taking the paper-and-pencil test. The results indicate that the mean achievement score on the science test was significantly higher for the group taking the computer-based test. No significant difference in mean scores between sexes was observed; there was also no interaction effect between mode of test administration and gender. The test anxiety level was not significantly different between the groups taking the two versions of the test. A significant relationship existed between students' prior computer experience and their computer anxiety before taking the test. However, there was no significant relationship between previous computer experience and the computer anxiety evoked as a result of taking the test on the computer. Hence, the change in computer anxiety due to taking the test was not explained by computer experience. Of the students who took the computer-based test, 71.2 % said that if given a choice, they would prefer to take the test on a computer. Students indicated that they found the test easier, more convenient to answer because they did not have to write, erase mistakes or fill in bubbles on a scannable sheet, and faster to take when compared to a paper-and-pencil test. Negative responses to the computer-based test included the difficulty involved in reviewing and changing answers, having to type and use a keyboard, fear of the computer making mistakes, and a feeling of uneasiness because the medium of test presentation was unconventional. Students taking the computer-based test were more willing to guess on an item, and tended to avoid the option "I don't know." It is concluded that the computer-based and the paper-and-pencil tests were not equivalent in terms of achievement scores. Modifications in the way test items are presented on a computer-based test may change the strategies with which students approach the items. Extraneous variables incidental to the computer administration such as the inclination to guess on a question, the ease of getting cues from other questions, differences in test-taking flexibility, familiarity with computers, and attitudes towards computers may change the test-taking behaviour to the extent that a student's performance on a computer-based test and paper-and-pencil test may not be the same. Also, if the tasks involved in taking a test on a computer are kept simple enough, prior computer experience has little impact on the anxiety evoked in a student taking the test, and even test-takers with minimal computer experience will not be disadvantaged by having to use an unfamiliar machine.
Education, Faculty of
Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of
Graduate

This dissertation presents a framework which supports a group-based exploratory approach to learning and integrates 3D gaming methods and technologies with an institutional learning environment. This provides learners with anytime-anywhere access to interactive learning materials, thereby supporting a self paced and personalised approach to learning. A simulation environment based on real world data has been developed, with a computer games methodology adopted as the means by which users are able to progress through the system. Within a virtual setting users, or groups of users, are faced with a series of dynamic challenges with which they engage until such time as they have shown a certain level of competence. Once a series of domain specific objectives have been met, users are able to progress forward to the next level of the simulation. Through the use of Internet and 3D visualisation technologies, an excavation simulator has been developed which provides the opportunity for students to engage in a virtual excavation project, applying their knowledge and reflecting on the outcomes of their decisions. The excavation simulator enhances the student learning experience by providing opportunities for students to engage with the archaeological excavation process in a customisable, virtual environment. Not only does this provide students with an opportunity to put some of the theories they are familiar with into practice, but it also allows for archaeology courses to place a greater emphasis on the practical application of knowledge that occurs during the excavation process. Laconia Acropolis Virtual Archaeology (LAVA) is a co-operative exploratory learning environment that addresses the need for students to engage with archaeological excavation scenarios. By leveraging the immersive nature of gaming technologies and 3D multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs), LAVA facilitates the adoption of exploratory learning practices in environments which have previously been inaccessible due to barriers of space, time or cost.

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The absence of financial education throughout the K-12 experience results in most undergraduate students lacking the financial literacy needed to make better financial decisions. Studies by the OECD and Serasa Consumidor, together with other studies cited throughout this work, show there is still a long way to go to implement a strong policy for Financial Education. This study assesses the levels of financial literacy of the undergraduate students at FECAP using a questionnaire similar to the one developed by the OECD. The survey has been carried out with 564 students who attend the evening courses and are either in the first or in the last semester of undergraduate degree programs. I investigate the relations between sociodemographic variables and courses and the level of Financial Literacy. The results indicate that FECAP s students have a high level of Financial Literacy up to 2.39 points in a scale whose maximum is 3 points. That represents a performance of 79%. This result is 19 percentage points above that of a study conducted by Serasa Consumidor and IBOPE (2014), which found that individuals with higher education had a performance of 60% . Students in the senior year of college have more Financial Knowledge than the freshmen. Students of Accounting, who comprise most of the sample with 166 individuals, presented the best results regarding Financial Knowledge.This study indicates that sociodemographic factors, such as gender, age and religion are related to Financial Literacy
A aus??ncia de t??picos relacionados a Alfabetiza????o Financeira na educa????o b??sica faz com que boa parte dos jovens cheguem ao ensino superior sem a bagagem de Alfabetiza????o Financeira necess??ria para lidar com as finan??as cotidianas. Estudos da OECD, Serasa Consumidor, al??m de da literatura citada ao longo deste estudo, apontam ainda um longo caminho a ser percorrido no que se refere ?? implanta????o de uma forte pol??tica de ensino em Alfabetiza????o Financeira. O presente trabalho mensura a Alfabetiza????o Financeira e seus fatores indicadores (Conhecimento e Comportamento Financeiros e Atitude) de alunos dos cursos da FECAP, em pesquisa aplicada a 564 etudantes do per??odo noturno, do primeiro e ??ltimo anos de gradua????o, com base no question??rio desenvolvido pela OECD. Tamb??m s??o investigadas as rela????es entre vari??veis sociodemogr??ficas e os cursos com os n??veis de Alfabetiza????o Financeira. Os resultados apontam que os alunos da FECAP possuem um elevado n??vel de Alfabetiza????o Financeira, chegando a 2,39 pontos em uma escala com pontua????o m??xima de 3,00 pontos, o que representa um aproveitamento de 79%. Este resultado est?? 19 pontos percentuais acima de uma pesquisa realizada pela Serasa Consumidor e IBOPE (2014), em que foi verificado um aproveitamento de 60% em indiv??duos com curso superior. A an??lise realizada mostra que os alunos dos ??ltimos anos t??m maior n??vel de Alfabetiza????o Financeira que os dos primeiros anos. O estudo mostra ainda que fatores sociodemogr??ficos, como g??nero, faixa et??ria e religi??o est??o relacionados ao n??vel de Alfabetiza????o Financeira

This study centres on the psychological effects new digital media, like the internet and cellphones, have on adolescents. Although the internet has enormous benefits, it also poses a host of risks that can make adolescents vulnerable to victimisation and/or developing associated psychosocial problems. Characterisations of adolescents’ social relationships in the internet medium, as well as the investigation of the continuity between digital media literacy and online social behaviours, carry high relevance for developmental psychology. It is during the adolescent period that peer interactions arguably hold the greatest importance for individuals’ social and behavioural functioning. Using a logic model for evaluation, the researcher conducted an exploratory research study on digital media use among adolescent learners aged 13 to 15 years to determine whether schools could guide them to think critically for themselves about the entire realm of these new media. The data were gathered from school principals, teachers, parents and learners from three secondary schools in Gauteng Province, which were purposely selected to represent different socio-economic circumstances. A total of 230 people (n=230) participated in the research. Mixed research methods were employed in this study. The quantitative research methods supported the qualitative research methods. The literature review suggested that current media literacy education, which forms part of the Life Orientation curriculum, does not enable learners to think critically or make informed choices about their behaviour in the digital world – because it incorporates neither ethics nor responsibility. One of the main aims of the study therefore was to investigate the importance of expanding existing media literacy education, namely by incorporating two additional learning categories in the curriculum: Digital Safety and Security, and Digital Citizenship. These additional learning categories were introduced in the form of lessons by the teachers participating in the study. A think aloud strategy was used whereby learners verbalise what they were doing and learning while engaging in the digital media literacy lesson activities. The learners’ verbalisations were used to ascertain what learning was occurring in the classroom. The experimental group demonstrated an increase in critical thinking from pre- to post-evaluation. This research therefore proposes that the signature element of intervention strategies for inappropriate online behaviour be to create a “culture of critical thinking”. This implies greatly reducing the risks cyberspace pose, and at the same time enhancing adolescents’ abilities to use it in ways that create and deepen healthy relationships – in the digital as well as the real world.
Psychology
D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

School physical science is a prerequisite for science courses at institutions of higher education. Science graduates are an important link in a nation's scientific and technological development which often shapes a country's economic development. The purpose of this study was to investigate psychological and social factors influencing physical science achievement and attitude of black secondary school students in South Africa. The first part of the literature study which was concerned with physical science education in South Africa revealed that few black students chose to study science after standard seven, that failure rates were high and that science education was generally in a state of crisis. The second part of the literature study identified psychological and social factors related to science achievement and attitude. These were home environment variables, teacher and school related variables, personal variables (self-concept, motivation, gender, ethnicity) and students' abilities. The third part was the construction of a Structural Equation Model (SEM) specifying the relationships among the psychological and social factors and their effects on physical science achievement and attitude. The theoretical SEM fit the data reasonably well. The best fitting model, however, was a revised model in which several paths were constrained. The latter accounted for a substantial variance in attitude towards physical science (70.3%) and a meagre 17.7% in physical science achievement. The variables ability, home environment and self-concept had the greatest total effects on physical science achievement. Self-concept, home environment and motivation made the greatest total contributions to physical science attitude. Teacher characteristics and school environment had non-significant effects on physical science achievement and attitude. Multiple-group structural equation modelling analyses found no significant difference in the structural parameters of boys and girls. Theoretical and educational implications of the findings were discussed and specific recommendations for improving educational practice in general and physical science achievement and attitude in particular, were made.
Psychology of Education
D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Although reasons for avoiding help, goal orientation, and social efficacy have been examined in the context of social adaptive help seeking, researchers have not pursued how these constructs influence computer adaptive help seeking. The three studies in this dissertation addressed both social and computer adaptive help seeking. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if reasons for avoiding help seeking, personal goal orientation, or social efficacy predict social and computer adaptive help seeking for students enrolled in computer-based, developmental mathematics courses in community college settings. The purpose of the first study was to determine if students differentiate among three help-seeking sources: (a) formal, (b) informal, and (c) computer. Study 1 revealed that this population considered two different sources of help: social and computer help. These results were used to formulate the following questions for Study 2 and Study 3: 1. Do reasons for avoidance of help predict social or computer adaptive help seeking? 2. Does personal goal orientation predict social or computer adaptive help seeking? 3. Does social efficacy predict social or computer adaptive help seeking? Study 2 revealed that ability concerns negatively predict social adaptive help seeking and that mastery goal orientations positively predict both social and computer adaptive help seeking. Study 3 revealed that ability concerns negatively predict social adaptive help seeking and that mastery goal orientations and social efficacy for peers positively predict social adaptive help seeking. Additionally, ability concerns negatively predict computer adaptive help seeking, and mastery goal orientations positively predict computer adaptive help seeking. The finding that students who adopt a mastery-goal orientation use both social and computer means to adaptive help seek was not surprising. The finding that students who have ability concerns do not tend to social adaptive help seek is also consistent with previous research. However, the most important conclusion from Study 3 is that students who have ability concerns do not computer adaptive help seek, regardless of the anonymity provided by the computer. More research is needed in this field to examine why students with ability concerns tend to avoid help seeking altogether.
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