The Relationships among Elective Computer Courses, Perceived Computer Self-Efficacy and the Career Aspirations of Eight-Graders

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to identify the relationships among elementary school elective computer courses, perceived computer self-efficacy and the career aspirations of eight-graders. Participants were 2040 eight-graders from 15 different cities of Turkey. Of these participants 49% were girls, 51% were boys; 75% were taking elective computer courses, and 25% did not take any elective computer course in their elementary education period. Two instruments were used in this study; the Student’s Personal Information and Career Interests Sheet and the Computer Self-Efficacy Scale. Results showed that only 8.6% of the students reported an interest in pursuing a career in computer-related fields in the first choice, 6.6% reported in the second choice and 4.9% reported in the third choice. Results of chi-square analyses showed that students who had taken elective computer courses and students who had not taken an elective computer course as well as girls and boys differed significantly in their reported technology-related career interests. Besides, as might be expected, students with low and high computer self-efficacy differed significantly in their reported technology-related career interests. Results of this study also showed that computer wasthe first choice of students for an elective course and this subject was the third favourite school subject of the students.

Keywords

• computer course
• computer self-efficacy
• career aspiration
• school subject preference

Seçmeli Bilgisayar Dersi ve Bilgisayar Öz-Yeterlik Algısının 8. Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Seçmek İstedikleri Mesleklerle İlişkisi

Abstract

Bu araştırmanın amacı, ilköğretim okullarındaki seçmeli bilgisayar dersinin ve bilgisayar öz-yeterlik algısının 8. sınıf öğrencilerinin ileride seçmek istedikleri mesleklerle bir ilişkisinin olup olmadığını belirlemektir. Araştırma, 2040 ilköğretim 8. sınıf öğrencisi üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Katılımcıların %49’u kız, %51’i erkektir; %75’i seçmeli bilgisayar dersi alan, %25’i ise hiç bilgisayar dersi almamış öğrencilerdir. Tüm öğrencilere kişisel bilgilerini ve ileride seçmek istedikleri meslekleri belirlemeye yönelik kısa bir form ve “Bilgisayara İlişkin Öz-Yeterlik Algısı Ölçeği” uygulanmıştır. Veriler çözümlenirken betimsel istatistiklerin yanı sıra korelasyon, tek-yönlü varyans analizi, t-testi ve kay-kare kullanılmıştır. Sonuçlar, öğrencilerin yalnızca %8.6’sının birinci tercihinde, %6.6’sının ikinci tercihinde ve %4.9’unun ise üçüncü tercihinde bilgisayarlarla ilgili bir meslek seçmek istediğini göstermiştir. Sonuçlar ayrıca kızlar ile erkekler, bilgisayar dersi alanlar ile almayanlar, evinde bilgisayarı olanlar ile olmayanlar ve bilgisayar kullanmayı bilenler ile bilmeyenler arasında ileride bilgisayarlarla ilgili bir meslek seçme isteği açısından anlamlı farklılaşmalar olduğunu göstermiştir. Öte yandan, öğrencilerin seçmeli ders tercihleri içinde bilgisayar dersi birinci sırada gelmektedir. Bilgisayar dersi, okuldaki tüm dersler içinde öğrenciler tarafından en sevilen üçüncü derstir.

Keywords

• Bilgisayar dersi
• bilgisayar öz-yeterlik algısı
• meslek tercihi
• ders tercihi.

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