EFFECT OF GENDER ON COMPUTER USE AND ATTITUDES OF COLLEGE SENIORS

摘要

Male and female students have historically had different computer attitudes and levels of computer use. These equity issues are of interest to researchers and practitioners who seek to understand why a digital divide exists between men and women. In this study, these questions were examined in an intensive computing environment in which all students at one university were issued identical laptop computers and used them extensively for 4 years. Self-reported computer use was examined for effects of gender. Attitudes toward computers were also assessed and compared for male and female students. The results indicated that when the technological environment was institutionally equalized for male and female students, many traditional findings of gender differences were not evident.