Computer self-efficacy beliefs of primary school teachers and their attitudes towards computer-aided instruction

Bu çalışmanın amacı Niğde İlinde görev yapan ilköğretim öğretmenlerinin bilgisayar öz-yeterlik inançları ile BDÖ?ye yönelik tutumlarını çeşitli değişkenler (yaş, cinsiyet, çalıştıkları yerleşim birimi, kıdem, bilgisayar ve Internet bağlantısına sahip olup olmama, Internet kullanım sıklığı ve bilgisayarla ilgili eğitim alıp almama gibi) açısından incelemektir. Bununla birlikte öğretmenlerin bilgisayar öz-yeterlik inançları ile bilgisayara yönelik tutumları arasındaki ilişki de irdelenmiştir. Çalışmada genel tarama modeli kullanılmış, çalışmanın örneklemini Niğde ili ilköğretim okullarında 2011-2012 öğretim yılında görev yapan 480 ilköğretim öğretmeni oluşturmuştur. Veri toplama araçları olarak “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”, “Bilgisayar Öz-Yeterlik İnancı Ölçeği” ile “Bilgisayar Destekli Öğretime Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Çalışmadan elde edilen bulgular ışığında, öğretmenlerin yüksek düzeyde bilgisayar öz-yeterlik inançlarına sahip oldukları ve bilgisayar destekli öğretime yönelik olumlu tutum içerisinde bulundukları saptanmıştır. Bununla birlikte bilgisayar öz-yeterlik inancı ve bilgisayar destekli öğretime yönelik tutumlara ilişkin ölçek verilerinden elde edilen ortalamalar çeşitli değişkenler açısından karşılaştırılmış ve değişkenler arasında anlamlı farklılıklar görülmüştür. Ayrıca öğretmenlerin öz-yeterlik inançları ve tutumları orta düzeyde, pozitif yönde ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.Purpose: The computer is a tool to be used in the service of people and now more and more people are using computers throughout the world. Besides using computer technology anytime and anywhere, Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) is getting more and more important. Educational institutions from primary school to universities use CAI to teach different lessons such as writing, reading, arithmetic, art, science, mathematics, music, history, geography, economics, business, architecture and engineering. As in most counties, computers are also used to improve education in schools in Turkey. So, education systems are harmonized with CAI. Teachers have an important role in education systems for the success of CAI. Teachers‘ level of knowledge, case of using CAI in their lessons and self-efficacy beliefs about CAI affects the their using of CAI in lessons efficiently. In addition, teachers‘ having positive attitudes to CAI is as important as using computer technology. When the literature is reviewed, it is realized that the number of studies examining computer self-efficacy beliefs of in-service teachers and their affective approaches to the use of computer technologies in instruction and determining relationship between self-efficacy and the attitudes is insufficient. Also, it is seen that the majority of existing studies were conducted with small samples consisting of teacher candidates. This situation leaded to this study. The purpose of this study is to examine the computer self-efficacy beliefs of primary school teachers who work in the province of Nigde and their attitudes towards CAI with respect to different variables and examine the relationship between their self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. Method: A general survey model has been used to search computer self-efficacy beliefs, attitudes towards CAI of pre-service teachers and the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. The population of the scan type of study carried out has comprised all primary school teachers in the province of Nigde within the academic year 2011-2012 and sample thereof consisted of 480 teachers designated primarily in a stratified and subsequently random manner among cited teachers. In this study, the data collection tool ―Personal Information Form‖ developed through researchers has been employed together with ―Computer Self-Efficacy Belief Scale‖ and ―Computer-Aided Instruction Attitude Scale‖ both developed through Sensoy (2004). Cronbach's alpha coefficients of internal consistency of the scales in the development works were .89 and .88. In this study, t-test, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe analyzes have been used in the comparison of variables with normal distribution, while Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H test have been employed in the comparison of variables without normal distribution. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient has been applied in order to reveal relationships. Results: In the light of the findings computer self-efficacy beliefs of teachers have been determined as high level and their attitudes towards CAI has shown a high level. Teachers‘ selfefficacy beliefs have shown significant differences according to gender and age variables however the same variables have not shown an important factor in attitudes. Statistically significant differences incident to self-efficacy and attitudes have been observed both in terms of seniority of teachers and the lieu of their works. It has been determined that teachers who had a computer with Internet connection and who have used the Internet more frequently tended to have significantly higher self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. A middle level, positive and significant relationship has been observed between teachers‘ self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. Through this research it has been indicated that teachers are at high level self-efficacy beliefs in terms of using computers and generally have positive attitudes towards CAI. The positive, significance correlation at middle level between self-efficacy and attitude has shown that teachers at acceptable level in terms of using computers have more positive attitudes to CAI. Discussion: Previous studies and this study have revealed that individuals with high computer self-efficacy beliefs are more willing in participating in activities vis a vis computers and the expectations thereof germane to such studies are higher. Teachers with developed computer self-efficacy beliefs both prior to and during the service thereof are expected to be more successful in CAI applications in the process of education. The findings of the study are expected to contribute to teachers and relevant persons who conduct studies on cited field. Conclusion: In this study, it was found that new findings can be attained by replicating the studies in the literature related to self-efficacy beliefs of the teacher candidates mostly in different subject areas on the sample of in-service teachers. Therefore, it is suggested that future studies should examine self-efficacy and attitudes of the teachers in other educational institutions except from primary education with different variables