Computer anxiety level and other factors related to computer use by secondary agricultural education teachers in the united states

The purpose of this study was to determine: (a) the microcomputer time usage by agricultural education teachers in the United States, (b) the computer anxiety level of the teachers, and (c) other factors that prevent agricultural education teachers in the United States from utilizing microcomputers. A secondary purpose was to determine the relationship between selected variables and (a) computer time used by secondary agricultural education teachers in the United States, and (b) computer anxiety level of these teachers. This was an ex post facto study using a mailed questionnaire. The population consisted of the Agricultural Education Teachers listed in the Agricultural Teachers Directory (Henry, 1989). A systematic sampling technique with a random entry point was used to select the sample. The population numbered 224. A response rate of 81.9% was received. Descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression were used in the data analysis. Forty-eight percent of the teachers indicated the use of the computer in their classes three hours or fewer per week. The secondary agricultural education teachers indicated computer anxiety ranging from mild anxiety to very anxious. The main factor given preventing the use of the microcomputer in the agriculture classroom was the number of computers. The lack of good software ranked second while lack of time and money/budget ranked third. Two variables (level of computer skills and number of years taught) explained approximately 30% of the variation in the computer usage by teachers of secondary agricultural education. Three variables (typing skills, computer training, and Computer Anxiety Score (COMPAS)) showed low correlation to computer use, while the level of computer skills was moderately correlated with computer usage. The COMPAS variable received a low negative correlation. A regression analysis of the COMPAS on demographic variables identified four variables explaining 53.1% of the score variances. Level of computer skills accounted for 41% of the variance and served as the best predictor of computer anxiety.