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Computer Skills (computer + skill)
Selected AbstractsDevelopment of a web-based integrated manufacturing laboratoryCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 4 2001Samuel H. Huang Abstract The internet is dramatically changing the ways we learn and teach, as well as the way we interact as a society. The "same time, same place, only some people" traditional instructional method is giving way to "anytime, anyplace, anybody" educational models. This paper deals with the development of a Web-based integrated manufacturing laboratory (WIML), which represents a virtual mini-manufacturing corporation, whose aim is to support core manufacturing curriculum and to provide students with hands-on experience on various manufacturing functions and effective use of manufacturing software tools. Key components of the WIML include a manufacturing tutor, a data repository, message boards, customization pages, and links to the world-wide web. The WIML not only can stimulate students' interest in related manufacturing courses but also allow them to strengthen their computer skills and develop ability to work as a team. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 9: 228,237, 2001; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com.); DOI 10.1002/cae.10006 [source] The European computer driving licence and the use of computers by dental studentsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2009G. S. Antonarakis Abstract The use of computers within the dental curriculum for students is vital for many aspects of their studies. The aim of this study was to assess how dental students who had obtained the European computer driving licence (ECDL) qualification (an internationally-recognised standard of competence) through taught courses, felt about the qualification, and how it changed their habits vis-à-vis computers, and information and communication technology. This study was carried out as a descriptive, one-off, cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire was distributed to 100 students who had successfully completed the course, with questions pertaining to the use of email, word processing and Internet for course-works, Medline for research, computer based learning, online lecture notes, and online communication with members of staff, both before and after ECDL qualification. Scaled responses were given. The attitudes of students towards the course were also assessed. The frequencies and percentage distributions of the responses to each question were analysed. It was found that dental students who follow ECDL teaching and successfully complete its requirements, seem to increase the frequency with which they use email, word processing and Internet for course works, Medline for research purposes, computer based learning, online lecture notes, and online communication with staff. Opinions about the ECDL course varied, many dental students finding the course easy, enjoying it only a little, but admitting that it improved their computer skills. [source] An investigation of computer literacy and attitudes amongst Greek post-graduate dental studentsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2007Kimon Divaris An accurate assessment of the computer skills of students is a pre-requisite for the success of any e-learning interventions. The aim of the present study was to assess objectively the computer literacy and attitudes in a group of Greek post-graduate students, using a task-oriented questionnaire developed and validated in the University of Malmö, Sweden. 50 post-graduate students in the Athens University School of Dentistry in April 2005 took part in the study. A total competence score of 0,49 was calculated. Socio-demographic characteristics were recorded. Attitudes towards computer use were assessed. Descriptive statistics and linear regression modeling were employed for data analysis. Total competence score was normally distributed (Shapiro,Wilk test: W = 0.99, V = 0.40, P = 0.97) and ranged from 5 to 42.5, with a mean of 22.6 (±8.4). Multivariate analysis revealed ,gender', ,e-mail ownership' and ,enrollment in non-clinical programs' as significant predictors of computer literacy. Conclusively, computer literacy of Greek post-graduate dental students was increased amongst males, students in non-clinical programs and those with more positive attitudes towards the implementation of computer assisted learning. [source] Students' evaluation of online course materials in Fixed Prosthodontics: a case studyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2001Elizabeth S. Pilcher Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess a new online course format for dental students. Preclinical Fixed Prosthodontics I is a didactic and laboratory course given in the first year of the dental school curriculum. In the spring semester of 1999, the didactic portion of the course was offered in a web-based format as a supplement to the traditional lecture format. Methods: The study population was 53 first year dental students at one school. The study design was a one group post test without a control group. The online questionnaire consisted of multiple choice questions, Leikert scale questions and open-ended questions. Data were collected using Filemaker Pro and analyzed using EpiInfo. Results: Student response rate was 96% (52/53). All of the students responded that they felt comfortable with their computer skills in utilizing this course format. Most (96%) responded that the online materials were either very helpful or helpful to them. About half, (54%) recommended that the online format be continued as a supplement to traditional lectures, while 28% recommended replacing traditional lectures with the new format in order to provide more laboratory time in the course. The syllabus, lecture materials, bulletin board and handouts were found to be the most helpful online features. The least helpful features were the listserve, decision tree, and e-mail options. Most frequently mentioned strengths of the online material were listed as 1) the ability to view material at their own pace and at a time convenient to them, 2) quality photographs in lecture materials and 3) online quizzes. Weaknesses of the course were ranked by students as 1) problems with access to the materials and the intranet system, 2) taking quizzes online and 3) difficulty in printing the web-based lecture materials. Conclusions: The delivery of web-based material as a course supplement in Fixed Prosthodontics I was determined to be an overall success. Fine tuning of problems with access to the materials took place throughout the course. The student feedback will help direct future development of web-based course materials in the dental school curriculum. [source] Nurses' use of computer databases to identify evidence for practice ,a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in a UK hospitalHEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 1 2001Peter Griffiths The objectives of this study were to determine nurses' use of electronic databases to inform practice. A questionnaire survey of 114 nurses working on five acute wards in a large inner city teaching hospital investigated their general use of computers and the three databases, cinahl, medline and the Cochrane Library. Eighty-two qualified nurses responded (response rate 72%). The results show limited confidence and low frequency in using the databases. Thirty-four per cent expressed low confidence using cinahl. Twenty-seven per cent used cinahl on a regular basis. Twenty-two per cent never used it. Eighteen per cent were unaware that it was available locally. Knowledge and use of medline was even lower with only 18% using it regularly. Knowledge of the Cochrane Library was extremely limited, with 75% unaware of its existence. Use of a home computer and higher education were associated with higher frequency of use of cinahl and medline. If nurses are to make use of electronic resources to contribute to evidence-based practice, effort needs to be put into ensuring that already qualified nurses have basic computer skills and specific knowledge of available resources. More emphasis should be placed on ,evidence-based' resources, such as the Cochrane library, as sources of information for practice. [source] The status of training and education in information and computer technology of Australian nurses: a national surveyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 20 2008Robert Eley Aims and objectives., A study was undertaken of the current knowledge and future training requirements of nurses in information and computer technology to inform policy to meet national goals for health. Background., The role of the modern clinical nurse is intertwined with information and computer technology and adoption of such technology forms an important component of national strategies in health. The majority of nurses are expected to use information and computer technology during their work; however, the full extent of their knowledge and experience is unclear. Design., Self-administered postal survey. Methods., A 78-item questionnaire was distributed to 10,000 Australian Nursing Federation members to identify the nurses' use of information and computer technology. Eighteen items related to nurses' training and education in information and computer technology. Results., Response rate was 44%. Computers were used by 86·3% of respondents as part of their work-related activities. Between 4,17% of nurses had received training in each of 11 generic computer skills and software applications during their preregistration/pre-enrolment and between 12,30% as continuing professional education. Nurses who had received training believed that it was adequate to meet the needs of their job and was given at an appropriate time. Almost half of the respondents indicated that they required more training to better meet the information and computer technology requirements of their jobs and a quarter believed that their level of computer literacy was restricting their career development. Nurses considered that the vast majority of employers did not encourage information and computer technology training and, for those for whom training was available, workload was the major barrier to uptake. Nurses favoured introduction of a national competency standard in information and computer technology. Conclusions., For the considerable benefits of information and computer technology to be incorporated fully into the health system, employers must pay more attention to the training and education of nurses who are the largest users of that technology. Relevance to clinical practice., Knowledge of the training and education needs of clinical nurses with respect to information and computer technology will provide a platform for the development of appropriate policies by government and by employers. [source] Opinion leadership in a computer-mediated environmentJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 5 2005Barbara Lyons Abstract This paper investigates the characteristics of opinion leaders within the computer-mediated environment, analyses the differences between online opinion leaders and online non-leaders and examines the implications of opinion leadership theory for e-commerce. This study finds that opinion leaders in computer-mediated environments possess significantly higher levels of enduring involvement, innovativeness, exploratory behaviour and self-perceived knowledge than non-leaders. Online opinion leaders also possess greater computer skills, have used the internet for a longer period of time and use the internet more frequently for longer sessions than non-leaders. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Re-estimating the difficulty of closing the digital divideJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2008Jeffrey James While we now know the most important determinants of the digital divide, such as income, skills, and infrastructure, little has been written about how these variables relate to one another. Yet, it is on the basis of one's answer to this question that the difficulty of closing the divide ultimately depends. In this article, I have sought to challenge the (implicit) prevailing assumption in most of the digital-preparedness literature that variables can be perfectly substituted for one another and, hence, added together. In particular, and drawing on available evidence, I view the relationship between, say computers and computer skills, as being nearer the opposite extreme, of totally limited substitutability. On this basis, I suggest that the components of digital-preparedness indexes be multiplied rather than added. Using multiplication rather than addition in most current indexes of digital preparedness reveals a substantial understatement of the real difficulty in closing the digital divide and a different set of policies to deal with this larger problem. Such policies should include sharing arrangements and the use of intermediaries. [source] The social and discursive construction of computing skillsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2005Sanna Talja In this article a social constructionist approach to information technology (IT) literacy is introduced. This approach contributes to the literature on IT literacy by introducing the concept of IT self as a description of the momentary, context-dependent, and multilayered nature of interpretations of IT competencies. In the research literature, IT literacy is often defined as sets of basic skills to be learned, and competencies to be demonstrated. In line with this approach, research on IT competencies conventionally develops models for explaining user acceptance, and for measuring computer-related attitudes and skills. The assumption is that computer-related attitudes and self-efficacy impact IT adoption and success in computer use. Computer self-efficacy measures are, however, often based on self-assessments that measure interpretations of skills rather than performance in practice. An analysis of empirical interview data in which academic researchers discuss their relationships with computers and IT competence shows how a self-assessment such as "computer anxiety" presented in one discussion context can in another discussion context be consigned to the past in favor of a different and more positive version. Here it is argued that descriptions of IT competencies and computer-related attitudes are dialogic social constructs and closely tied with more general implicit understandings of the nature of technical artifacts and technical knowledge. These implicit theories and assumptions are rarely taken under scrutiny in discussions of IT literacy yet they have profound implications for the aims and methods in teaching computer skills. [source] EPA'S BASINS MODEL: GOOD SCIENCE OR SERENDIPITOUS MODELING?,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 3 2000Ray C. Whittemore ABSTRACT: Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Non-point Sources (BASINS) is a geographic-based watershed assessment tool developed by EPA's Office of Water to help states more efficiently target and evaluate water-bodies that are not meeting water quality standards. BASINS (EPA, 1996a, 1998) brings together data on water quality and quantity, land uses, point source loadings, and other related spatial data with supporting nonpoint and water quality models at a quicker and more effective pace. EPA developed BASINS, to better integrate point and nonpoint source water quality assessments for the Nation's 2100+ watersheds. In its zeal to achieve this endpoint, EPA has initiated a simplistic approach that was expected to grow through scientific enhancements as TMDL developers become more familiar with modeling requirements. BASINS builds upon federal databases of water quality conditions and point source loadings for numerous parameters where quality assurance is suspect in some cases. Its design allows comprehensive assessments and modeling in typical Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) computations. While the TMDL utility is the primary reason BASINS was developed, other longer-range water quality assessments will become possible as the Agency expands the suite of assessment models and databases in future releases. The simplistic approach to modeling and user-friendly tools gives rise, however, to technical and philosophical concerns related to default data usage. Seamless generation of model input files and the failure of some utilities to work properly suggest to NCASI that serious problems may still exist and prompts the need for a more rigorous peer-review. Furthermore, sustainable training becomes paramount, as some older modelers will be unfamiliar with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and associated computer skills. Overall, however, BASINS was judged to be an excellent beginning tool to meet the complex environmental modeling needs in the 21st Century. [source] Cancer Pain Education for Medical Students: The Development of a Short Course on CD-ROMPAIN MEDICINE, Issue 1 2002Paul A. Sloan MD Objective., The purpose of this study was to assess the educational value and acceptability of a short CD-ROM course on cancer pain management given to third-year medical students at the University of Kentucky. Methods., Thirty-six medical students were given a short-course CD-ROM on cancer pain assessment and management. The Cancer Pain CD-ROM included textual instruction as well as video clips and a 15-item interactive self-assessment examination on cancer pain management. Students were asked to evaluate the computerized course with an 18-item survey using a Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree). Results., Twenty-seven medical students completed the course, however, only 11 returned evaluations. In general, the medical students appreciated the CD-ROM material, with the exception of the video clips. Students agreed most strongly (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) that the educational material on the CD-ROM was presented clearly (3.9 ± 1.1), the CD-ROM format was easy to use (4.0 ± 0.8), the CD-ROM course improved knowledge of opioid use for cancer pain (4.0 ± 0.7), and the course improved understanding of opioid-related side effects (4.0 ± 0.7). The self-assessment examination on cancer pain was rated easy to use and felt to be helpful (4.0 ± 0.9) for students to identify cancer pain knowledge deficits. The authors estimate that 150 man-hours were needed to complete production of the CD-ROM without any specialized training in computer skills. Conclusions., A short-course computer format program was developed by the authors to teach the basics of cancer pain management to medical students. A minority of students evaluated the program and agreed the material was clearly presented, improved knowledge of opioid analgesia, and was easy to use. [source] Knowledge to action: Scholarship for faculty and staffTHE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 1 2009FAAPArticle first published online: 13 MAR 200, FRCPC, Savithiri Ratnapalan MBBS Abstract Introduction: This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of a continuing education course in facilitating the development and implementation of educational projects of course participants. Methods: This is a case study evaluating a full-year course that consisted of 11 monthly seminars, each 4 hours in length, including practice in a computer laboratory. The class size was limited to 12 participants. Needs-assessment surveys at the beginning of the course, student evaluations, and midterm and final progress reports were analyzed. Results: Seven staff physicians, 3 clinical fellows, a nurse educator, and a research assistant enrolled in the course. Initial needs-assessment surveys indicated that most people had adequate computer skills,11 (90%),but only 2 (17%) were able to type well, 11 (90%) had no statistical knowledge, and 10 (83%) had limited literature-searching skills. The mean score on speaker evaluations for lectures was 4.5 on a scoring scheme of 1,5 where 1 was poor and 5 was outstanding. Ten participants (83%) had a complete proposal for an educational project written by midterm. Nine participants applied for external grants and 2 of them received external funding for their projects. Five participants (42%) completed a publishable educational project by the end of the 11-month course, and submitted it for presentation at scientific meetings. Discussion: Like many adults, health care professionals experience limited time for involvement in formal education. This study shows that a limited-time-commitment course could facilitate health care professionals to develop and successfully implement educational projects translating ideas into action. [source] Management and organisational barriers in the acquisition of computer usage skills by mature age workersAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 3 2009Mark KeoghArticle first published online: 30 AUG 200 Aim:, To investigate workplace cultures in the acquisition of computer usage skills by mature age workers. Methods:, Data were gathered through focus groups conducted at job network centres in the Greater Brisbane metropolitan region. Participants who took part were a mixture of workers and job-seekers. Results:, The results suggest that mature age workers can be exposed to inappropriate computer training practices and age-insensitive attitudes towards those with low base computer skills. Conclusions:, There is a need for managers to be observant of ageist attitudes in the work place and to develop age-sensitive strategies to help mature age workers learn computer usage skills. Mature age workers also need to develop skills in ways which are practical and meaningful to their work. [source] Towards a typology of computer use in primary educationJOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING, Issue 3 2007J. Tondeur Abstract, In the present study, we reject the view that computer use can be studied as an isolated variable in a learning environment. Our main objective is to develop an instrumental tool to measure different types of educational computer use in the classroom. This builds on a comprehensive review of the literature about computer use in education. This review helped to construct a questionnaire to identify a typology of computer use in primary education. In addition, the questionnaire was enriched by input of experts in this field. The questionnaire was presented to a sample of 352 primary school teachers. The input from a first subsample was used to carry out an exploratory factor analysis; the second subsample was used to verify the identified factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. A three-factor structure of computer use in primary education was identified: ,the use of computers as an information tool', ,the use of computers as a learning tool,' and ,learning basic computer skills'. The three-factor structure was confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. The results underpin a number of meaningful differences in the current practice of computer use in primary education. [source] | |||||||||||||