The gender factor in computer anxiety and interest among some Australian high school students

Abstract

Summary The purpose of the study in this short report was to examine the issue of gender as it influences students' perceived anxiety towards the use of computers and interest in computer usage. Data were collected from 142 boys and 139 girls enrolled in Year 11 in 14 senior high schools in Western Australia. The boys and girls were matched in four variables: home ownership of computers, enrolment in computing class, years of experience in using computers and socioeconomic status. Anxiety data collected using the Computer Anxiety Scale showed a significant difference in the anxiety levels of the boys and girls in the sample, with the girls recording a higher mean anxiety score. For computer interest, the boys had a significantly higher mean score than the girls. The results are discussed within the context of existing literature, and implications for computer education and for further research are drawn.