What a Tangled Web We Weave:Technology Apprehension and

Achievement Emotions

Presented by:

Sara G. Crocker Anderson University, Anderson, S.C.

Jennifer B. Hulehan Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, S.C.

Presentation PreviewWhy is this important?

Brief overview of literature

Research question and hypothesis

Research methods

Results

Implications

Q & A

Why is this topic important? • Community college

students are an understudied population• Dev Ed students are the

most at-risk academically• Utopian views of

technology• Assumption that

millennials are “born” tech savy• Learning is emotional

Overview of LiteratureTechnology

Apprehension (TA)

Fear of computers when using or

anticipating using a computer

More than half of Americans report some level of TA1

It is multi-dimensional state anxiety

Can cause computer avoidance2

Overview of Literature

Technology Use in Community

College Students

Not likely to engage in more technical tasks like coding.

Most likely to use technology

to facilitate Coursework.3 Usefulness and

ease are strongest

predictors of technology

adoption in CC students. 4

Research ObjectivesResearch Question

Hypothesis

What is the relationship between

TA and the achievement

emotions experienced by students enrolled in community college

developmental education courses?

Female students in developmental education

courses in community colleges will report

higher levels of TA than male students in

developmental education courses in community

colleges.

Research Methods• Multi-method

approach• Participants and Target

Courses• Allows for maximum

variability in subject field

• Procedures and Measures• IRAT Scale• Achievement Emotions

Questionnaire• In vivo Coding

Results: Quantitative

Research Question

Students who reported higher levels of TA also reported greater anger,

anxiety, shame, and hopelessness.

Hypothesis

Females reported significantly more TA than

male students, fully supporting the hypothesis.

A Pearson correlation revealed that TA was positively correlated with

students’ anger (r = .210, p < .05, R2 = .04), anxiety (r = .34, p < .05, R2 = .11), shame (r = .34, p < .05, R2

= .11), and hopelessness (r = .17, p < .05, R2 = .03).

An independent samples t-test revealed a statistically significant difference (t = -2.21, df = 129, p

< .05) between the amount of TA reported by male (M = 29.62; SD = 10.56) and female (M = 35.61; SD =

16.77) developmental students.

Results: QualitativeDev. Ed. Students’ Understanding of Technology

Technology is Ubiquitous “We are in a technological era where it is evolving everyday.” “ I don’t personally

like computers. I will use them and try to figure out what to do if I need to.”

Expectation or Resignation

“I feel like technology is part of the regular cirriculum [sic].”

Results: Qualitative

• Issues of Access• Technological

Malfunction

Challenges Presented by Integrating Technology

“Some kids can’t use technology

cause [sic] they are poor.”

“For math, I hate it.”

• Subject or Task-Based Objection

• Displacement of Instructor’s Role

Objective Implications & Limitations

• Theoretical Implications• Helps fill void of

knowledge• Adds to emotion

research

• Practical Implications• Access• Biological Sex• Subject Area

• Limitations• Lack of geographic and

cultural diversity• Preferable to have a

larger sample size• Conflicting

quantitative and qualitative data• Study is correlational

in nature

Implications for Instructors & Administrators• College Completion

Agenda• Student Success• Ability is a minor factor• Affective barriers to learning

(anger, anxiety, shame, and hopelessness).

“I just started questioning everything:

Am I supposed to be here? Am I good

enough?” –Vanessa Brewer5

Students often mistakenly perceive temporary stumbling blocks—like technological malfunctions—as permanent obstacles:

“I can’t succeed. I don’t belong. I’m just not college material.”

Implications for Instructors & AdministratorsIn Class

• Low stakes assessments• Reward

accomplishment• Build confidence• Productive persistence6

“Some kids can’t use technology cause [sic] they are poor.”

“I felt like I was alone, but then I

found people who said, you know, ‘I

cried just like you.’ And it helped.”5

Out of Class• Technology

orientation• On-going support• Advising• Access

Implications for Instructors & Administrators• Curriculum

Development• Part but not whole• Purposeful Integration• Connect to real-world

• Program Development• Technology is not a magic

pill• Design & implementation

• Professional Development• Understanding TA &

Achievement Emotions• Decreasing TA & Creating

positive AE• Best practices w/

technology

“I feel like technology is part of the regular cirriculum [sic].”

SummaryIt is important for us to remember the past.

Developmental Education has

always been about more than just

academic remediation.

And learn from the present

Technology apprehension is prevalent and

negatively impacts achievement emotions and

student success.

To build a better future.

Helping underprepared

students prepare, prepared students

advance, and advanced students

excel.

Q & A

References

1. Williams, S. (1994, 12 June). Technophobes victims of electronic progress. Mobile Register, p. 9E.2. Chua, S. L., Chen, D., & Wong, A. F. L. (1999). Computer anxiety and its correlates: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 15(5), 609-623.3. Miller, M. T., Pope, M. L., & Steinmann, T. D. (2005). A profile of contemporary community college student involvement, technology use, and reliance on selected college life skills. College Student Journal, 39, 596-602. 4. Behrend, T. S., Wiebe, E. N., London, J. E., & Johnson, E. C. (2011). Cloud computing adoption and usage in community colleges. Behaviour & Information Technology, 30(2), 231-240. 5. Tough, Paul. “Who Gets to Graduate?” New York Times. 15 May 2014. Online. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/magazine/who-gets-to-graduate.html?_r=06. Silva, Elena and Taylor White. “Pathways to Improvement: Using Psychological Strategies to Help College Students Conquer Developmental Math.” Carnegie Foundation For the Advancement of Teaching. Online. <http://achievingthedream.org/sites/default/files/resources/PathwaysToImprovement_0.pdf>