How Gender, Interest, and Attitudes Toward Information and Communications Technology Affect the Individual Experience in a Tablet Computer–Based Learning Environment

• In Event: Educational Technology/Computational Thinking

Abstract

This study analyzes the emotional experience and learning outcome of secondary school students in Germany (N=103) participating in a series of tablet computer-based lessons in the field of economics. The underlying theoretical framework is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions. A continuous-state-sampling-instrument tracked the learner’s emotional states. A knowledge test was used to measure cognitive learning outcomes. The findings show that that all lessons were experienced more positively by male learners who also achieved higher learning outcomes. When controlling for relevant learner characteristics, these differences could be attributed to individual attitudes towards ICT. The findings indicate that the observed variances can be explained by the theoretical assumptions of the underlying framework models.

Authors

• Matthias Josef Conrad, University of Konstanz

• Stephan Schumann, University of Konstanz