Acquisition Of Computer Skills Research Articles

ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS ACQUISITION NEED FOR SELF-RELIANCE IN BUSINESS STUDIES AMONG GOVERNMENT JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS IN NIGER STATE

This study was conducted to assess the employability skills acquisition need for self-reliance in business studies among government junior secondary schools students in Niger State. The researchers raised two research questions for the study. In line with the research question, two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level if significant. A survey research design was used for the study. The area of this study consists of one government junior secondary schools from each local government in the state which comprise of twenty-five local government. A random sampling technique was used and the sample size for the study was two hundred and ten (210). A 4-point Likert scale used for the and the questionnaire was tagged as “Business Studies Skill Acquisition Questionnaire (BSSAQ)” containing twenty (20) statement items were used to collect data. To obtain the reliability coefficient of the measuring instrument, the instrument was pilot tested using some fifteen (15) selected junior secondary schools in Ilorin. The result obtained from the pilot study were then analyzed using Cranach alpha reliability coefficient statistical and the reliability index obtained was 0.88. The data collected on the twenty (20) statement items of the questionnaire were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and t-test was used to test the null hypotheses formulated for the study. The study revealed among others, that a significant difference existed in the employability skills acquisition need for self-reliance in government junior secondary schools in Niger State. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that at junior secondary schools business studies contents should be well taught in other to encourage the acquisition of employability skills among the students of junior secondary schools in Niger state. Also, Business studies at the government junior secondary level should be encouraged through proper funding, and the provision of equipment for better acquisition of computer skills.

Research Report Writing Skill, Communication Skill and Lecturers’ Job Effectiveness in Universities in Cross River State, Nigeria

This study sought to examine research report writing skill, communication skill and lecturers’ Job effectiveness in University of Calabar of Cross River State, Nigeria. Literature review was carried out according. The survey research design was used for the study. Two null hypotheses formulated to direct the investigation. The population of the study was 1856, from the University of Calabar (UNICAL). The instrument for data collection was constructed by the researchers using a four likert scale questionnaire titled; Research Report Writing Skill, Communication Skill and Lecturers’ Job Effectiveness Questionnaire (RRWSCSLJEQ). The face and content validity was checked by experts in Measurement and Evaluation who vetted the items developed. The reliability of the instrument was carried out using the Cronbach Alpha method and the co-efficient ranged from .70 to .82. The stratified sample technique was used to sample 420 lecturers, for the study. Statistical tool employed for data analysis was the simple linear regression at 0.05 level of significance, with 341 degree of freedom. The result of the analysis revealed that research report writing skill, communication skill significantly relates with lecturers’ Job effectiveness. It was recommended that Government should established computer skills acquisition centres in universities to increase computer literacy and that trained and qualified ICT personnel should be employed as instructors for better skills acquisition.

Digitally Savvy at the Home Office: Computer Skills of Older Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Europe

Digital skills can be a valuable resource in work life, especially in such times as the current COVID-19 pandemic, during which working from home has become new reality. Although increasing numbers of older employees (aged 50 years and above) are using digital technologies to work remotely, many of these older adults still have generally lower digital skills. Whether the pandemic will be a push factor for the acquisition of computer skills in late working life remains unclear. This study investigated the explanatory factors of the computer skills gained by older workers who were working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, using representative data for 28 countries from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The analysis of the survey responses of 11,042 employed persons aged 50 years and older revealed that, 13% worked only at home due to the pandemic, while 15% said they worked at home and in their usual workplace. The descriptives indicate that full-time homeworking is more of an option among those with tertiary education and who already have some computer skills. Of the older employees who worked only at home, 36% reported an improvement in their computer skills, whereas of the older workers who worked at home and at their usual workplaces, only 29% reported such an improvement. Our results based on logistic regressions suggest that significantly more women, younger employees, respondents with tertiary educational qualifications, and those whose work was not affected by unemployment or even business closure acquired new computer skills, regardless of whether they were working permanently or only partly from home. The study underlines the importance of investigating the possible digital skills gained from the home office situation resulting from the pandemic.

Determination of the optimal distillation sequence of a ternary mixture incorporating heat integration by means of Microsoft Excel Solver

AbstractNowadays, the computer skills acquisition by Chemical Engineering (ChE) students is based on practical uses of specialized software packages in different applications. Process optimization courses use high‐level algebraic programming languages, such as GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System) or AMPL (A Mathematical Programming Language), which are usually reserved for advanced programs in ChE degrees or ChE M.Eng. Commercial software for process optimization has several benefits, such as the possibility of facing complex numerical problems in a more efficient and straightforward way. By contrast, they typically present expensive license fees, and students usually require intense training to get the proper user‐level skills. The use of simpler and economic software tools may help overcoming these limitations. In this context, Microsoft (MS) Excel Solver tool is a widespread software with the potential to be used worldwide by any ChE student, and with the power to solve complex optimization problems at the academic level. In this paper, we introduce the application of MS Excel Solver for the optimization of a distillation sequence for the separation of a ternary mixture, including the heat integration in the definition of the problem. This is an MINLP problem, which usually requires specialized software performing stochastic methods, such as Simulated Annealing, to achieve a solution. In this regard, the approach to solve an optimization problem using the MS Excel Solver tool shown in this study was successfully employed by a student of ChE M.Eng. at Rey Juan Carlos University and the Autónoma University of Madrid in the development of her master thesis.

Human Cognitive Neuroscience as It Is Taught.

Cognitive neuroscience increasingly relies on complex data analysis methods. Researchers in this field come from highly diverse scientific backgrounds, such as psychology, engineering, and medicine. This poses challenges with respect to acquisition of appropriate scientific computing and data analysis skills, as well as communication among researchers with different knowledge and skills sets. Are researchers in cognitive neuroscience adequately equipped to address these challenges? Here, we present evidence from an online survey of methods skills. Respondents (n = 307) mainly comprised students and post-doctoral researchers working in the cognitive neurosciences. Multiple choice questions addressed a variety of basic and fundamental aspects of neuroimaging data analysis, such as signal analysis, linear algebra, and statistics. We analyzed performance with respect to the following factors: undergraduate degree (grouped into Psychology, Methods, and Biology), current researcher status (undergraduate student, PhD student, and post-doctoral researcher), gender, and self-rated expertise levels. Overall accuracy was 72%. Not surprisingly, the Methods group performed best (87%), followed by Biology (73%) and Psychology (66%). Accuracy increased from undergraduate (59%) to PhD (74%) level, but not from PhD to post-doctoral (74%) level. The difference in performance for the Methods vs. non-methods (Psychology/Biology) groups was especially striking for questions related to signal analysis and linear algebra, two areas particularly relevant to neuroimaging research. Self-rated methods expertise was not strongly predictive of performance. The majority of respondents (93%) indicated they would like to receive at least some additional training on the topics covered in this survey. In conclusion, methods skills among junior researchers in cognitive neuroscience can be improved, researchers are aware of this, and there is strong demand for more skills-oriented training opportunities. We hope that this survey will provide an empirical basis for the development of bespoke skills-oriented training programs in cognitive neuroscience institutions. We will provide practical suggestions on how to achieve this.

Impact of Peer-mediated Learning on Achievement and Motivation in Computer Science among Senior Secondary School Students in Minna Metropolis, Niger State

The study examined the Impact of Peer-Mediated Learning on achievement and motivation in computer science among senior secondary school students in Minna metropolis, Niger state. The study adopted a randomized pre-test, post-test control group design. Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select four (4) Private Secondary Schools from Minna, Metropolis. Eighty (80) Students were drawn from the four Secondary Schools as sample size through stratified random sampling technique. Validated Test Instrument; Basic Computer Skills Acquisition Test (BCSAT) and Questionnaire: Motivated Strategy for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) vetted by experts from Computer Science and Educational Technology Departments were used for data collection. The BCSAT was made up of 20 items multiple-choice objective test questions to test students’ cognitive knowledge and 5 practical questions, each comprising steps that tested students’ computer practical skills while MSLQ, a Likert scale with 31 items was used to determine the motivational beliefs of students taught computer skills. ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis H test was used for data analysis and was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of students taught using Peer-Mediated Learning (PML) than those taught using conventional method. The study further revealed that students’ motivation towards PML were significantly positive when compared to the students taught using conventional method. Based on these findings, the researchers recommended that Secondary Schools should adopt PML for effective teaching and learning of computer skills related concepts in Computer Science.

Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training to Teach Basic Computer Skills to a Young Adult with Autism.

The current study evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) on acquisition of basic computer skills using Microsoft Word®, Microsoft Excel®, and Microsoft PowerPoint® by a 15-year-old male diagnosed with autism. A concurrent multiple-baseline design across computer programs (i.e., Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®) was used to evaluate the effects of BST on the acquisition of basic computer skills. BST was successful in teaching the participant to learn basic functions in each of the three programs, and he was able to use the programs to complete schoolwork independently following completion of the study.

Computer – aided laboratory module for drafting technology at state university

This study assessed the competencies of the Architectural Drafting Students using Computer Aided Design CAD at Surigao del Sur State University, Cantilan Campus in order to propose an enhanced laboratory module. The purposive sampling method was used in this study with a survey questionnaire, CAD application skills test and informal interviews were also utilized to determine the CAD competencies of the drafting students. Factors considered were based on: profile of respondents in terms of age, gender, parent’s educational background, socioeconomic status of the parents, computer experience and exposure, acquisition of basic computer skills. In terms of computer knowledge/ skills/ competencies, the respondents were asked to rate themselves as to their mathematical and computational skills ability, operational skills, critical thinking, mindsets and training habits, problem solving analytical skills and to rank identified difficulties encountered during instructions. Results showed that 44 percent of the students with 17 years of age were male. The parents’ occupation were farmers with the educational attainment of a high school graduate and a monthly income between Php 10,000 to Php 21,000.00. Other results indicated their computer experiences and exposure were learn during high school and in the internet cafe wherein the skills achieved through curiosity and exploration. Furthermore the respondents perceived their mathematical and computational skills with verbal rating of moderate and less moderate besides in their critical thinking, mindset and training habits and problem solving analytical skills obtained a verbal rating of less moderate, likewise the difficulties encountered during CAD instructions were ranked and it was found out that personal crisis was the most difficult encountered by the respondents, followed by tired or stress due to workloads at school, and the third was laziness. Based on the findings of this study, the CAD module was designed as an alternative solution to these difficulties.Keywords: Computer – Aided Design, competency, Drafting, Performance, Interactive Module

Acquisition of computer literacy skills through self-organizing systems of learning among children in Bhutan and India

This article describes a study under the Reaching the Unreached component of the Chiphen Rigpel project between the governments of Bhutan and India. This initiative is an attempt to provide computer literacy to children of Bhutan through setting up “hole in the wall” (HiWEL) Playground Learning Station(s) (PLSs). The study described here involves 14 sites (the experimental group), where PLSs are installed, and another 8 sites (the control group) without PLSs, but having similar demographic and socioeconomic profiling as the experimental group. This article compares the acquisition of computer literacy of school-going children in India with those in Bhutan. Results indicate that Bhutanese children have acquired computer literacy on their own and that their level of computer skills acquisition is similar to that of Indian children when the scores are normalized. This study was done over a one-year period, with results reported for eight months. In addition to verifying the earlier Indian results, this article hints at the fact that, irrespective of ethnicity, culture, and country, an identical—and possibly universal—self-organized learning mechanism seems to work with children vis-à-vis the Internet.

The Role of Computer Technology in Supporting Children’s Learning in Jordanian Early Years Education

ABSTRACTThe current research investigated early years teachers’ perspectives regarding the role of computer technology in supporting children’s learning in Jordanian kindergartens. Thirty semistructured interviews were conducted with preschool teachers. The sample of kindergartens in this study was purposefully selected from the targeted population of Jordanian public kindergartens in the central, northern, and southern regions. Selected kindergartens for this study were distributed among the three regions based on the proportion of kindergartens in each region compared to the total number of kindergartens across Jordan. Findings indicated that the preschool teachers did not have certain understandings of the benefits and advantages of young children’s computer use. Nevertheless, some of them highlighted some potential advantages of computer use for young children, such as acquisition of basic computer skills; the provision of a new means of self-expression; enhancement of learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy; and enrichment of school curricula. The study provides several practical and theoretical recommendations to improve the use of computer technology in the Jordanian kindergarten context to support children’s learning, particularly in the area of literacy and numeracy.

シニア層ユーザーのPC活用が主観的ウェルビーイングとQOLに及ぼす影響

Previous studies have not shown a consistent association between computer use and the well-being of older people. The authors assumed that this absence of a causal relationship might be due to the mediation effects of some psychological factors and the limited use of scales for measuring multi-dimensional aspects of well-being. Therefore, this study examined the impact of computer skills, attitudes toward computers, and self-efficacy on the subjective well-being and quality of life (QOL) of older computer users (over 60 years of age). Four hundred respondents completed an online survey. Path analysis revealed that the acquisition of computer skills led to positive attitudes towards computers and a higher sense of self-efficacy, and in turn, these two factors improved life satisfaction and QOL. This relationship was modulated by gender- and skill-based group differences. These findings have implications for improving QOL factors with computer use, and may be useful for developing an effective instructional design for computer training for older people.

Computer classes for older people: motivations and outcomes

Purpose – A “digital divide” exists between older and younger people in terms of computer use and older people’s uptake of computer training programmes in the UK remains low. The purpose of this paper is to identify the motivations and outcomes of computer classes for some older people and the contributory factors. Design/methodology/approach – One-to-one qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants at a computer class in a London community centre. Using a topic guide, interview transcripts underwent thematic analysis. The theoretical perspective of “ageing in place” (the ability to stay in one’s own home in later life) was used when interpreting the findings. Findings – Participants had been motivated to attend the class initially to gain computer skills. Initial motivation was influenced by the death of a spouse and the desire to remain mentally active. The main outcome by the class was acquisition of computer skills. Psychological and social benefits were also reported, the latter constituting motivation for continued attendance. Computer ownership and gender differences in preferred teaching style influenced class outcomes. Research limitations/implications – Although this was a small sample comprising older people solely from one community, participant backgrounds varied and the findings suggest that further research with a larger, more culturally heterogeneous sample would be valuable. Originality/value – Computer classes benefit older people wishing to learn computer skills which may facilitate “ageing in place”. There has been little research in this area.

The Impact of Public Access Venue Information and Communication Technologies in Botswana Public Libraries

Abstract
 
 Objective – A study on the impact of Public Access Venue (PAV) Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) was conducted in Botswana libraries with Internet connections. The main objective was to determine the impact of ICTs in public libraries. 
 Methods –Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical lens, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the impact of PAV ICTs in 4 study sites, resulting in data from a total of 39 interviews and 4 focus groups. 
 Methods –Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical lens, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the impact of PAV ICTs in 4 study sites, resulting in data from a total of 39 interviews and 4 focus groups. 
 
 Results – The results of the study show that PAV ICTs had a positive impact on users in the areas of education and economic benefits. Within educational and economic impacts, social benefits were also found, pertaining to the use of social media and the Internet for formal and informal communication. The study also revealed a slight difference between school going users and non-school going elderly users where the use and acquisition of computer skills was concerned. Elderly non-school going users tended to rely on venue staff for skills more than the younger school going users. 
 
 Conclusion – The study recommends that PAV facilities should be improved in terms of skills offered and resources availed so as to appeal to both the younger school going generation and the older non-school going users. It is also recommended that education on ICT be improved to help curb rising unemployment in Botswana; such skills would enhance the income generation skills of the unemployed users as well as school leavers.

Computer Studies and Its impact in Secondary Schools in Umuahia-North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria

The purpose of this research study is to examine the impact of Computer Studies among teachers and students of secondary schools in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, especially as it affects the teaching and learning process. The authors adopted a descriptive survey design for this study using four research questions which were formulated based on the purpose of the research. The results of the study indicate that Computer Studies has positive impact in the teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. From the findings, the computer literacy level of the students was found to be low while that of the teachers was slightly higher than that of the students. The results of the study also show that equipment and infrastructure such as computers and other information and communication technology (ICT) facilities are also needed in schools to facilitate the acquisition of basic computer skills among teachers and students in secondary schools and thereby increase their computer literacy level.

The Effect of Problem-Based Learning Strategies on Students’ Attitudes and Their Acquisition of Database and Spreadsheets Skills and Knowledge

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of problem-based learning as opposed to traditional learning method on students’ attitudes and acquisition of computer application skills and knowledge (database applications, and spreadsheet applications). The study followed a quasi-experimental design to identify the effect of problem-based learning on the previous variables. The study sample was purposely selected and consisted of 48 students enrolled in two sections of an educational computing course offered by the college of education. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) did not reveal any significant differences between the problem-based group and the traditional group in computer application knowledge and skill acquisition. This finding was in agreement with other research finding that showed no significant effect for problembased learning on knowledge and skill achievement. However, ANOVA revealed significant differences in students’ attitudes toward learning in favor of the traditional group. The study concluded with several recommendations, among which was the need to replicate the current study with a larger sample size, with randomly selected subjects.

The Effect of Problem-Based Learning Strategies on Students’ Attitudes and Their Acquisition of Database and Spreadsheets Skills and Knowledge

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of problem-based learning as opposed to traditional learning method on students’ attitudes and acquisition of computer application skills and knowledge (database applications, and spreadsheet applications). The study followed a quasi-experimental design to identify the effect of problem-based learning on the previous variables. The study sample was purposely selected and consisted of 48 students enrolled in two sections of an educational computing course offered by the college of education. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) did not reveal any significant differences between the problem-based group and the traditional group in computer application knowledge and skill acquisition. This finding was in agreement with other research finding that showed no significant effect for problembased learning on knowledge and skill achievement. However, ANOVA revealed significant differences in students’ attitudes toward learning in favor of the traditional group. The study concluded with several recommendations, among which was the need to replicate the current study with a larger sample size, with randomly selected subjects.

A problem solving oriented intelligent tutoring system to improve students' acquisition of basic computer skills

Personalization and intelligent tutor are two key factors in the research on learning environment. Intelligent tutoring system (ITS), which can imitate the human teachers' actions to implement one-to-one personalized teaching to some extent, is an effective tool for training the ability of problem solving. This research firstly discusses the concepts and methods of designing problem solving oriented ITS, and then develops the current iTutor based on the extended model of ITS. At last, the research adopts a quasi-experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of iTutor in skills acquisition. The results indicate that students in iTutor group experience better learning effectiveness than those in the control group. iTutor is found to be effective in improving the learning effectiveness of students with low-level prior knowledge.

栄養ケア･マネジメントにおけるデータベース作成のための、パソコンスキル習得と活用について

栄養ケア･マネジメントにおけるデータベース作成のための、パソコンスキル習得と活用について

Appraisal of Student’s Computer Skills Acquisition After the Course “Use of Computer Packages” in Universities in South-East of Nigeria

This study dwelt on appraisal of students’ computer skills acquisition after the course “use of computer packages” in State-owned universities in the South-East Zone of Nigeria. Two research questions were posed and a null hypothesis, guided the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design specifically referred to as the pre-test – post-test non-equivalent control group design. The study was carried out using final year students of Education/Economics at Abia State University Uturu and Imo State University Owerri respectively. The sample which consisted of one hundred and sixty (160) students was purposively sampled in terms of gender and location. The instrument used for data collect were the researcher’s made text items and affective response rating scale on students affective response to the treatment. The internal consistency of the instruments were calculated using Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient statistics which had an index of 0.77 and Kuder-Richardson coefficient statistics which had reliability index of 0.87. The subjects were pre-tested before treatment and post-test was administered after treatment. Data analysis involved, mean, standard deviation and t-test. The result revealed that treatment group performed better than the controlled group. Again, female students’ performed better than male students during hands-on training using computer system. Following from the findings of the study, it was recommended that lecturers teaching in the universities should ensure that undergraduates are made to practice on their own with computer systems to enable them learn these skills since constant practice makes for perfection. That effort should be made to ensure that the computer systems are connected to Internet and made functional too. It is believed that if these measures are put in place our undergraduates would be proficient in computer usage thereby joining their counterpart all over the world in this era of ICT. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n5p43

Autoevaluación de competencias informacionales en educacion secundaria: propuesta de modelo causal desde una perspectiva de género

INTRODUCTION. The inclusion of key skills related to information management in national and international basic education curricula responds to social change related to the impact of information and communication technologies. There are also a number of studies that find gender differences in the acquisition of computer skills. Given the close relationship that exists between information skills and technologies, this study analyzes gender differences in the development of these skills by designing a causal model. METHODS. The starting point is a representative sample of 1,162 secondary education students aged between 14 and 16 years from schools in the Spanish region of Castilla y Leon. RESULTS. The research findings obtained with this model indicate a good fit in both groups. The hypothesis testing of relationships proposed in the model shows that the effect exerted by the management tools profile at home (informal education environment) on information skills development varies according to gender. DISCUSSION. Given the importance that studying and defining these different profiles in the handling of computer tools has, discussion centers on the influence of these profiles on the learning of information skills.