Comparison of on-Line and Traditional Computer Literacy Courses for Preservice Teachers: A Case Study

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of two computer literacy courses (one was offered as on-line and the other one was offered through traditional methods). Two courses were compared in terms of their effectiveness on computer attitude of the student teachers and their learning experience about computers. This study also explored the other factors that contributed to changes in attitudes of the student teachers and their beliefs about computers in education. The study used data from 209 (147 female, 62 male) student teachers of which 69 of them attended to the on-line computer literacy course, and 140 of them attended to the traditional computer literacy course. Findings indicate that there is a combined effect of gender, computer literacy course type (traditional vs. on-line), whether any computer-related course was taken before, previous computer attitude and possession of home a computer on student teachers' post-attitude, toward computers. The follow-up study results were also supportive to the results of statistical analysis, and they investigated student teachers' perceptions about the computer literacy course they attended.