Gender, Group Composition, Cooperation, and Self-Efficacy in Computer Studies

Tor Busch

Journal of Educational Computing Research, Vol 15 No 2, 1997, p. 125-135

This study aimed to investigate whether gender, group composition, or self-efficacy in computing has any impact on cooperation, giving or getting task-related help, and level of activity in student groups. The groups were established during a computer course among 150 college students in business administration. According to the author's results, students with low self-efficacy in computing and students in groups with a majority of females, cooperated more than any other categories in their work with computers. Furthermore, students with high self-efficacy in computing, and students with a high degree of previous computer experience, offered more task-related help to other students than did the rest. In terms of gender, the level of activity was evaluated as highest in majority-female or majority-male groups. Moreover, female students had significantly lower self-efficacy in computing, less previous computer experience, and they had received less previous encouragement to work with computers. Finally, female students were receiving more task-related help, while at the same time giving less task-related help than male students.

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