Masters Degrees (Computer Science and Informatics)
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Browsing Masters Degrees (Computer Science and Informatics) by Subject "Computer ownership"
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Item Open Access Comparing the sensor glove and questionnaire as measures of computer anxiety(University of the Free State, 2014-01) Nkalai, Tlholohelo Stephania; De Wet, L.English: A vast amount of literature regarding computer anxiety exists. Consequently, a number of researchers have discovered different definitions for computer anxiety. Regardless of the numerous definitions, several researchers agree that computer anxiety involves emotional ‘fear’ or ‘apprehension’ when interacting or anticipating interaction with computers. Subsequently, some individuals who experience computer anxiety avoid using computers. This situation is undesirable because these days it is almost always a necessity for people to use computers in the workplace. It is therefore important to extensively investigate computer anxiety including measures which can be implemented to mitigate it. Different findings about computer anxiety regarding the correlates: gender, age, computer ownership, educational attainment and computer experience, exist. For example, while some research findings state that females experience higher levels of computer anxiety than males, other research findings assert that males experience computer anxiety more than the females. The contradictory findings regarding the correlates of computer anxiety could be attributed to the fact that most of the research studies which investigated computer anxiety relied solely on existing computer anxiety questionnaires. Using questionnaires exclusively poses various limitations which include relying on the ‘subjective’ responses of the participants. This research study incorporated another measurement of computer anxiety in addition to an existing computer anxiety questionnaire named Computer Anxiety Rating Scale. This additional measurement was performed using an instrument that measured physiological signals of a participant. The instrument is called an Emotion RECecognition system (EREC). It measures skin temperature and skin resistance and heart rate. Apart from the mentioned two, other data collection methods were used which are pre-test and post- test self-developed questionnaires, observations and interviews. With various measurements incorporated in this study, computer anxiety was investigated taking into consideration the following research questions: To what extent does a sensor glove add value in measuring computer anxiety during usability testing when compared to anxiety questionnaires and observations? To what extent is computer anxiety influenced by age, gender, computer experience, educational attainment, and ownership of a personal computer according to the anxiety questionnaire and the sensor glove? From the findings of the study in relation to the first research question, it can be concluded that the sensor glove does not add value. Instead, the sensor glove may add value when measuring stress. This means that although the EREC sensor glove measures skin conductance, changes in skin conductance may indicate changes in stress levels rather than anxiety levels. Regarding the second research question, it can be concluded that computer anxiety was not influenced by age, gender, computer experience, educational attainment, and ownership of a personal computer according to the anxiety questionnaire and the sensor glove.