Gender and Computer Experience as Factors in the Computer Attitudes of Middle School Students

Students' attitudes toward computers are important to success in implementing computer-related programs in school curricula. This study of 561 seventh and eighth grade students examines the effects of gender and amount of computer experience on the attitudes (computer anxiety, confidence, and liking) as measured by the Computer Attitude Scale. Greater amounts of computer experience were found to be significantly related to less anxiety and greater liking of computers. Gender was also found to be a statistically significant effect, with female students exhibiting more positive attitudes than male students toward the use of computers.