A new hospital in United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to adopt health information technology (HIT) and become fully digitalized once operational. The hospital has identified a need to assess basic computer literacy of new employees prior to offering them training on various HIT applications. Lack of research in identifying an accurate assessment method for basic computer literacy among health care professionals led to this explanatory correlational research study, which compared self-assessment scores and a simulated actual computer skills test to find an appropriate tool for assessing computer literacy. The theoretical framework of the study was based on constructivist learning theory and self-efficacy theory. Two sets of data from 182 hospital employees were collected and analyzed. A t test revealed that scores of self-assessment were significantly higher than they were on the actual test, which indicated that hospital employees tend to score higher on self-assessment when compared to actual skills test. A Pearson product moment correlation revealed a statistically weak correlation between the scores, which implied that self-assessment scores were not a reliable indicator of how an individual would perform on the actual test. An actual skill test was found to be the more reliable tool to assess basic computer skills when compared to self-assessment test. The findings of the study also identified areas where employees at the local hospital lacked basic computer skills, which led to the development of the project to fill these gaps by providing training on basic computer skills prior to them getting trained on various HIT applications. The findings of the study will be useful for hospitals in UAE who are in the process of adopting HIT and for health information educators to design appropriate training curricula based on assessment of basic computer literacy.

In an age of scarce resources and health care reform, it is important that computerized health care information systems be used effectively. The efficiency and effectiveness of computer applications in hospitals depends on the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and motivation nurses have about use of computers. The purpose of this correlational study is to examine relationships among nurses' attitudes toward computer use with knowledge, satisfaction, beliefs, motivation, and individual characteristics. The study was a modified replication study (Burkes, 1991) using Vroom's (1964) expectancy theory as a framework. Burkes (1991) developed the instrument used in this study to measure nurses' attitudes toward computer usage knowledge, satisfaction, beliefs, and motivation. Demographic data will also be collected.The convenience sample included 66 nurses from one Midwestern Indiana hospital who agreed to participate in this study. Confidentiality was maintained and only group data was reported. Participation was anonymous and voluntary.Findings in this study support Vroom's theory that there is a relationship between beliefs and motivation, between satisfaction and motivation, and between beliefs and motivation. Age, level of nursing experience and level of education did not determine satisfaction, beliefs or motivation to use computer applications. Conclusions from this study were that knowledge levels can vary in regard to use. However, computer knowledge did increase computer-use beliefs. The study indicated the amount of knowledge may increase beliefs and effect computer use attitudes.Further research should try to determine if any demographic information is consistently a predictor of attitudes scores. This information could be helpful in enhancing a successful implementation and utilization of computer systems. There should be research in the variables that impact attitudes of nurses toward utilization of computers.This study is significant because findings will provide information about attitudes and usage of computers in areas of nursing practices. Benefits include increased information about nurses' attitudes regarding computers and variables that may relate to computer use. The usefulness of measuring beliefs, satisfaction and motivation has a practical value in assessment of attitudes to assist educators and organization to meet nurses' needs in settings where computerized nursing programs are utilized. This information may be used in developing teaching strategies for nurses' use of computers in these settings. / School of Nursing

This master thesis deals with some elements of information literacy throught the term netiquette. The netiquette's relation with etics and etiquette is described in the theoretical part. This part's interest lies in the organisations engaged in netiquette, cyberspace, language and chosen elements of information literacy in connection with the computer literacy. The empirical part of the research handles the knowledge of netiquette at 4th and 5th grade students of elementary schools. Using an anonymous questionnary, the research's objective was to discover the acquaintance of the term netiquette and to realise the differences of the acquirement according to the size of the location of their elementary school, to the sex of subject and to the socioeconomic status of students. The research detects the relation of the information literacy with more facts, as having computer at home, knowing how to use computer and internet, managing the basic manipulation, being familiar with the safety rules. According to the investigation, all the asken students have modern technologies at home with ratio of 27% of the students on the countryside and 59% of the students living in a town, overal 43% of asked subjects are familiar with the netiquette. Even instructed students happen to break the safety rules. The...

The use of computers has become part of every day life. The high prevalence of computer use may lead employers to assume university graduates will have good computing skills. Such assumptions may be the reason that employers use broad terms to advertise the computing tasks required for graduate-level positions. This thesis investigates how well the expectations of employers match the perceptions of near-graduates about their computer skills. Four graduate-level positions were identified from advertisements placed in order to recruit graduates. The employers who placed these advertisements were surveyed by interview and questionnaire. Twenty-one students about to graduate from a university commerce programme were also interviewed and surveyed. It was found that the wording of the advertisements did not satisfactorily portray the requirements and intentions of the employers. It was also found that skills the near-graduates perceived they possessed frequently did not meet the expectations of employers. Results also show that the near-graduates did not fully understand which computing skills would be expected in the workplace. This study highlights implications for three groups: employers, graduates and educators.

The growing popularity of game addiction discourse has necessitated study of how video game critics rhetorically construct addiction. In the following thesis, I analyze contemporary examples of texts that link game addiction to drug abuse. I use Robert Cover’s analysis of how game addiction stereotypes form in conjunction with Aristotle’s rhetorical principles to isolate the persuasive appeals used by authors to rhetorically construct game play as addictive. These addiction arguments, however, are rooted in a larger historical context, and I present examples of game guidebooks and comic books published in the late 1970s and early 1980s to illustrate their rhetorical responses to game addiction rhetoric. I found addiction arguments utilize fear appeals combined with ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade audiences to reject games as potentially dangerous and worthless virtual pursuits. The authors of early game texts use ethos, pathos, and logos to dismantle fear appeals and present video games as a new genre that can be mastered through skill and practice rather than a meaningless virtual experience. This research provides ground for further explorations of game addiction rhetoric, and implications for the continued study of video games.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

The study is based on the assumption that there is an underutilisation of ICT resources in the university libraries of KwaZulu-Natal amongst subject librarians due to a lack of appropriate ICT knowledge and skills. The subject librarian's role has changed rapidly in recent years, in response to new forms of information and new methods of teaching and learning. Therefore, for subject librarians to perform their roles effectively and efficiently in such a demanding electronic environment they will need the necessary ICT knowledge and skills, that is, they will have to be computer literate. Also, the explosion of electronic information requires subject librarians to continuously update their knowledge and skills. A study population consisting of 43 subject librarians, in the university libraries of the Universities of Durban-Westville, Natal (Durban and Pietermaritzburg), and Zululand were surveyed by means of a mailed questionnaire to establish in what ways the subject librarians were using ICT, what the level of lCT knowledge and skill was amongst the subject librarians, what the ICT education and staff training and development needs were amongst the subject librarians and what problems the subject librarians faced in the use of ICT. A total of 3l subject librarians (representing 72.1 %) responded. Results were analysed in terms of frequency of responses. Results are graphically displayed in the form of pie charts and tables. Interpretation of the results reveals a low level of lCT knowledge and skill amongst subject librarians and a general lack of formal training for ICT amongst the subject librarians. Problems experienced by subject librarians were the result of a lack of ICT knowledge and skills and training. Recommendations for lCT education and staff training and development are made in light of the results of the survey and the literature review. / Thesis (M.I.S)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

The purpose of this study was to deternine the use and application of information communication technologies (ICTs) by the library workers of the University of Botswana Library. ICTs play an important role in a library environment because they enable libraries to be accessed rapidly as well as increasing the range, relevance and accessibility of information provided by the libraries. ICTs are therefore important for supporting the library workers in their everyday roles. This research was done with a view to propose recommendations which may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of University of Botswana Library workers in facilitating timely, relevant, accurate and reliable access to information for the library users through the utilisation of ICTs. The population of the research was the University of Botswana Library and its branches namely the Faculty of Engineering Library in Gaborone, the Centre for Continuing Education Branch in Francistown and the Harry Oppenheimer Branch in Maun. Primary and secondary sources of data were used to meet the objectives of the study. The research was done using a self-administered questionnaire, observation and interviews. The response rate was 67 (86.36 %) out of a population of 88. The data collected for this study identified that the University of Botswana Library workers had limitations on the use and application of ICTs as well as varying levels of skills and knowledge on their utilisation. The library workers lack ICT skills because they are only trained for specific routine tasks. In addition, some workers do not have enthusiasm to learn on their own. / Thesis (MIS.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

The modern computerised era in which we live means that all areas of society are subjected to information technology. Children are increasingly exposed to and have access to computers, which necessarily have an influence on their education and development. Seeing that children are the most receptive group when it comes to exposure to new technology, this may have enriching effects on computer literacy, which is often considered part of general literacy. With regards to literacy, reading is one of the skills which pose a high challenge. It is also a key skill that opens the world of information, as most information is received through reading. Any reading stimulation via electronic or printed media that encourages learners to read is considered to improve reading ability, reading speed, reading comprehension and phonetic awareness. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation between early computer exposure and experience (both computer access and use) and reading ability of grade 1 learners. In this study a one shot cross-sectional survey design was used. Schools with grade 1 learners in the Umvoti district of Kwa Zulu Natal were selected to participate in the study - stratified sampling was used. The grade 1 classes were selected on the basis of random sampling. The selected classes (N=4; 85 learners) participated 'intact' in the study. The data was analysed using descriptive as well as inferential statistics (e.g. MANCOVA). / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Šiame straipsnyje gvildenamas informacinių ir komunikacinių technologijų (IKT) taikymas profesijos mokymo įstaigų edukacinėje praktikoje remiantis ES ir Lietuvos teisiniais aktais, šalies ir užsienio mokslininkų darbais, įvairių institucijų organizuotų tyrimų duomenimis, atskleidžiamos IKT taikymo ugdymo procese techninės sąlygos, problemos ir jų sprendimo būdai, panaudojimas ugdymo procese ir jų poveikis ugdytiniui bei mokymo(si) procesui. / Legal base regulating educational system emphasizes knowledge based on information technologies. As ICT are penetrating into the process of vocational training the training methods and aids are changing and improving, an important role is falling on an educator – teacher. He/she must develop personal communication, literary and cultural competences as well as improve information and communication skills. This may be done by applying innovative ICT training methods and only when teacher has ICT competence. The objective of this work was to elucidate the application of information communication technologies in vocational training from the management and educational aspect. To that end research instruments were formed – questionnaire, according to which the above mentioned aspects were estimated from the point of view of students and teachers, and quality research was carried out by estimating the attitude of managers. 180 students, 100 teachers and 6 headmasters participated in the study carried out in Alanta, Anykščiai and Utena institutions of vocational training in December 2006. These institutions of vocational training do have conditions for application of electronic training aids. They provide themselves with IT aids by executing project activities and inducing teachers to participate in them. The introduction of system of e-services, Internet, e-library is intended in the schools. In educational process the priority is given for traditional training aids... [to full text]