INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
Year:2012 | Volume:2 | Issue:4 (8)|Papers Count:16

Computer anxiety is one of the current issues in computer researches. The starting point in computer anxiety analysis is the use of precise and reliable tools in measurement. The purpose of the study is testing and validating computer anxiety scales. The research method was a survey one. The statistical population included all male and female trainees of computer sciences in Isfahan. The sample consisted of 200 male and female trainees were selected through multi-stage simple random sampling method. Bandalos and Benson Computer Anxiety scale (1990) was used as the instrument to gather data. The reliability of the instrument was estimated through Cronbach Alpha for all male and female trainees 0.815, 0.84 and 0.78 respectively. Construct validity (factor analysis) showed that CAS can be reduced to two factors (positive and negative factor trend). CAS among the trainees was under estimated and there was no significant difference between male and female trainees. The results showed that the more the trainees use computer, the less anxiety they would have. There was no significant difference between computer anxiety and the level of education among the subjects, however, having a computer at home had significant effect in reducing anxiety.

The aim of this research was to make a valid and reliable questionnaire for assessing the information literacy of distance learners. The statistical population of it included all students that enrolled in all branches of Payam-e-Noor University of Hamedan province. The total number of those was 28530 people. For sampling of subjects, a cluster sampling method was used. On the basis of this method, 387 subjects were selected based on Kerejsi and Morgan table. To gather data, a research-made questionnaire was used. This questionnaire was made based on the Likert scale (very high, high, moderate, low, and very low). The components of the instrument (questionnaire) included 5 standard competency of ACRL. The questionnaire is composed of 30 items in the form of self-report statements. To make the items suitable, discriminative power method was used, and to validate the items, content, formal and construct validity (convergent validity and factor analysis) were used. Based on the convergent validity, the correlation coefficient between this questionnaire and Asghrnia's Questionnaire (2009) was 0.77. Also, results of explanatory factor analysis on the items of questionnaire led to extraction of 6 factors with a total cumulative variance explained nearly 66%. For making items reliable, the Cronbach's alpha was used (a=0.94). Results show that the research-made scale (information literacy questionnaire) is a suitable and a reliable instrument for assessing the information literacy of distance learners. Moreover, other results of the research shows that there are a significant and positive correlation between learners’ level of information literacy skills and their age.

The Purpose of the present research was to evaluate the virtual education in virtual E-learning centers from students, viewpoints. The research method was a descriptive and survey one. The statistical population included 400 students participating in the E-learning centers in state Universities of town Tehran in 2009-2010 academic year the statistical sample consisted of 196 students who were selected through purposive sampling method based on Morgan table. The measurement device was a form of Likert scale five-choice researcher- made questionnaire. The findings of the research showed that the students participating in virtual E-learning centers were satisfied with the access to facilities of virtual training centers, learning through this method and using virtual education, though they did not have positive attitude towards virtual training.

This goal of the present research was to study the effect of ICT on self-efficacy and motivation of first-year girl high school student in mathematics in Izeh. The research method was quasi–experimental one. Fourty (40) first-year girl high school students were selected through multi-stage cluster random sampling method and were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. The instruments used for data-gathering were Matthias Jerusalem and Schwarzer Ralph self-efficacy questionnaire, Valrand motivational questionnaire for pretest and post-test, and follow-up one. The experimental group was taught mathematics electronically through multimedia-software for 9 weeks, and the control group was taught traditionally, through teacher- based instruction. Both groups were tested in terms of self-efficacy and academic motivation after the training. Re-test was performed two months after the training. By the use of repeated measures, the results showed that there was a significant difference between two groups based on their academic motivation and self-efficacy. The experimental group had better performance in both tests than control group. The results also revealed positive impact of multi-media on self-efficacy and academic motivation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among the components of using information and communication technology (ICT) applies in universities and educational centers. The indexes of effective use of ICT in universities and educational centers which had been recognized in previous researches were considered as the variables of research. In this study, the relationship among indexes of using ICT in the society under investigation (Islamic Azad University Tabriz Branch) was investigated. Data collection was done through two researcher-made questionnaires whose validity and reliability were examined through content validity and retest method respectively. The final analysis of the data was performed by means of MATLAB software. Final results showed the importance of creativity index in applying ICT. This index (creativity) was recognized with high influence ratio from others. Also, the results showed that creativity and participatory style had the highest influence ration among other investigated indexes. Finally, organizational and technical indexes were the most influential ones.

The main goal of the present research was to study the barriers to using ICT in teaching-learning students from the viewpoint of faculty members of IAU, central Tehran Branch. This research was an applied one in terms of its goal, and a descriptive-correlational one in terms of its method. The statistical population included all faculty members (973 people) of IAU Central Tehran Branch in 2011-2012 academic years. Based on the Morgan and Kerjecie table, 177 subjects were selected as the sample through simple random sampling method. A research-made questionnaire was used to gather data. Its face and content validity was confirmed by experts, and its reliability was estimated 0/84 by using Cronbach Alpha method Pearson Coefficient correlation and one samplet -test were used to anslyze the data. The results indicated that faculty members' knowledge and skills in using ICT, their belief in the effectiveness of ICT, appropriate curriculum based on ICT principles, availability of hard ware and other instructional tools, and appropriate space and resources in using ICT are effective in learning teaching process.

The aim of the research was to study the effect of IT training courses on improving the performance of the staff in Mazandaran Medical Science University. The research method was a descriptive survey one. The statistical population included all staffs (1024 subjects) and all managers (113 people). mong them, 284 staffs and 88 managers were selected through stratified random sampling method using Kerjecie and Morgan table. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to gather data. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the experts and its reliability was estimated 0.89 through Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that information technology training courses had significant effect on improving the performance of the staff.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the amounts of using ICT by teachers with their performance in teaching- learning process. The research method from data gathering point of view was descriptive (correlational) one, and in terms of purpose was an applied one. The statistical population included all 12571 teachers' busy teaching in girl high schools in Tehran. 375 subjects were chosen as the sample based on Cochran's formula and through random sampling method. Two researcher-made questionnaires were used for data gathering. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics including K-S, Pearson correlation coefficient, regression and ANOVA using SPSS software. The results showed that there was significant relationship between the amount of using ICT by teachers with their performance in teaching-learning process, and 60.6 of dependent variable (teacher's performance) can be explained by the use of applied software, the use of data base, and the use of internet. Also there was no significant differences between teachers point of view based on teaching background.