Factors Influencing Student Resistance to Computer Administered Testing

Students at a nationwide distance-learning institution were surveyed concerning their attitudes about computer administered testing and about their past computer experience. Respondents were preclassified as computer test takers, paper-and-pencil test takers, or takers of both types of tests, based upon self-selected test-taking habits. Discriminant analysis indicated that (a) variables related to computer experience were not related to preferred mode of testing, (b) attitudes and beliefs about computerized testing were significantly related to preferred mode of testing, and (c) items measuring extrinsic benefits associated with computerized testing accounted for the greatest portion of explained variance among groups. An alternative to the “computer anxiety” construct is suggested: The extent to which computer experience and computer anxiety influence one’s willingness to use a computer may depend upon the task to be accomplished with the computer. Accordingly, it may become necessary to address situation-specific anxieties (e.g., computer test-taking anxiety) rather than assuming a general computer anxiety construct.