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Makale Özeti:
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Advances in computer technology have caught the attention of many educators and researchers. Computer-based multimedia applications, because of their flexible and varied presentation capabilities, are considered as an effective alternative to traditional training methods. Today in many educational and training settings interactive computer programs are used to teach young students and adults computer literacy skills. However, as indicated in the study by Merchant, Kreie and Cronan (2001), little research has been found in the literature investigating the effectiveness of computer-based computer literacy teaching programs.
Bertz and Johnson (2000) conducted a research study to determine the effectiveness of an innovative approach for teaching basic computer literacy. The innovative approach was web-based, which was administered over the internet, self-paced that required students learn on their own without attending a regular classroom instruction and competency-based that compared students’ technical skills against national norms. Based on data gathered from 314 collage students who attended the computer literacy course it was found that the new approach for teaching computer literacy was the preferred approach and had advantages over traditional teaching methods.
In a different study by Desai, Richards and Eddy (2000) the importance of training methods and tasks in computer literacy training programs was investigated. A self-selecting and convenience sample of novice users, who were employees of a high tech company, attended to two different training programs, instructor-based training (IBT) and computer-based training (CBT), to learn Word for Windows and Excel 5.0. IBT used a combined traditional training, stand-up lecture and the hands-on exploratory method. CBT was similar to the IBT approach except for that there was not an instructor, and that subjects directly interacted with the computer. Employees learning performance was measured at the end of the training and a month after the training, and it was found that “the CBT group’s overall end-of-training and one-month-after-training performances were significantly better than IBT subject’s performances.” (p.242)
Merchant, Kreie and Cronan (2001) measured and compared three groups of a total of 54 undergraduate level volunteer sujects’ performance ratings for computer skills and their evaluation of the training method they received after they participated in three different training programs, which are lecture, handout, and multimedia CBT, to learn spreadsheet software. In the lecture method, information on spreadsheet software was given verbal and graphical format in a classroom. In the handout method booklet of information explaining the subject matter is given to trainees to study alone. Graphics examples and text-based explanations were included in the handout. Multimedia CBT included text, and still and animated examples with an option of sound. Similar to the handout method, Subjects executed the CBT program individually.
Based on an analysis of variance, subjects’ performance scores in multimedia CBT group were significantly less than those in lecture and handout groups, and the multimedia CBT group was less satisfied with their instructional method.
Gurbuz, Yildirim and Ozden (2001) studied Turkish collage students’ attitudes toward two computer literacy courses (one is offered as on-line and the other is by traditional methods). Sixty nine students attended to the on-line computer literacy course, and 140 students attended to the traditional computer literacy course. Based on a pre-post test within group comparison analysis, it was found that neither the on-line nor the traditional computer literacy course had significant effect on student-teachers’ attitudes toward computers.
An intensive literature review did not yield much research that investigated and compared subjects’ both performances and attitudes who participated in computer-based and lecture-based computer literacy course. Moreover, no study has been found that investigated the same issue in Turkey. Thus, the purpose of this study is to compare the learning performance and attitudes of students who attended to a web-based in-class computer literacy lessons with the learning performance and attitudes of those who participated in classical, lecture-based in-class computer literacy course.
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