ISSN (Online): 2455-3662

EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal

Volume: 8| Issue: 8| August 2022|| Journal DOI: 10.36713/epra2013 || SJIF Impact Factor 2022: 8.205 || ISI Value: 1.188

COMPUTER SKILLS: A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW AND

ITS IMPLICATIONS

T.S.M.Usha1, Dr. K. Dhanalakshmi2

1
Research Scholar, Department of Education, Periyar University, Salem, India.
2
Professor, Department of Education, Periyar University, Salem, India.

ABSTRACT
This review summarizes the relevant research on the use of computer science textbooks to enhance computer skills in higher secondary school
students. Specifically, it reviews studies that have touched upon the merits of computer skills in schools, barriers or challenges encountered in the
use of computers, factors influencing successful ICT integration, in-service and pre-service teachers’ attitudes, perceptions, and confidence in
computer skills as well as the importance of computer science textbook in different boards at various school culture in the use of a computer.
This review discusses gaps in the literature and the directions that future studies may take to address these gaps.
KEYWORDS: Technology Integration; computer skill; Teachers’ attitudes; computer science textbook; higher secondary school students.

BACKGROUND software and hardware contexts in which it is manifested

For several years, education authorities have responded (Ainley, 2018).
to the importance of school students developing computer In the past decade, several studies have measured ICT
literacy by including it as part of the school curriculum, directly competencies from the perspective of ICT self-efficacy. Such
as a cross-curriculum capability, and by assessing the extent to indirect measurements tend to have validity problems, as they
which students are computer literate. Computer literacy and depend on the pupils' ability to judge their ICT competencies.
related concepts, such as ICT literacy, are defined to include This study outlines the development of a performance-based
both technological expertise and information literacy. digital test and the validation of a direct measure of ICT
Assessments of computer literacy, even though they vary, competence through the use of item response theory (IRT).
indicate that there are substantial variations in levels of More specifically, the test and the developed measure focus on
computer literacy among students in the lower years of primary-school pupils' proficiency in digital information
secondary school. In technologically developed countries, processing and communication (Aesaert, K., van Nijlen, D.,
approximately one-half of Year 8 students demonstrate Vanderlinde, R., & van Braak, J, 2014).
proficiency, or advanced proficiency, in computer literacy, but In search of factors that affect pupils' ICT
up to 10% have very limited computer literacy. Assessments of competencies, research has developed and empirically validated
computer literacy can also provide the basis for progression several conceptual frameworks. Although these frameworks are
maps that could be used to inform curriculum development. valuable ways of initially identifying factors related to pupils'
Those progression maps will be more valuable if the ICT competencies, they do not take into account the broader
frameworks on which they are based become more strongly classroom and school context in which pupils are embedded.
integrated. Moreover, most frameworks and their corresponding
In addition, computer literacy appears to be influenced instruments focus on post-primary education. This study first
by student background, including familiarity with computers, as presents a multilayered model that can be used to guide future
well as the emphasis placed on it in classrooms and schools and studies that try to explain why some primary-school pupils are
the support provided by ICT in education systems. At present, more effective in acquiring ICT competencies than others.
there is less information about school and classroom influences Factors are situated on the pupil, classroom and school level.
on computer literacy than there is about student background Second, this study provides future research with a range of
influences. In the immediate future, the construct of computer reliable measurement instruments to identify factors related to
literacy may need to accommodate increasingly changes in primary school pupils' ICT competencies (Aesaert, K., van
Braak, J., van Nijlen, D., & Vanderlinde, R. 2015).

2022 EPRA IJMR | www.eprajournals.com | Journal DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra2013

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 ISSN (Online): 2455-3662
EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal
Volume: 8| Issue: 8| August 2022|| Journal DOI: 10.36713/epra2013 || SJIF Impact Factor 2022: 8.205 || ISI Value: 1.188

The research field of digital competencies (also (2013) Empirically assessing the importance of computer skills.
referred to as competencies), computer skills and information This research determines which computer skills are important
literacy is strongly connected with education, computers, for entry-level accountants and whether some skills are more
information science and libraries. This is reflected in the important than others. Students participated before and after
mapping of papers in this field to the broader classification area internships in public accounting. Ragin Tracey (2013) examined
of Education and Educational Research in the citation database administrators' perceptions of community college students'
Web of Science as well as Information Science and Library computer literacy skills in beginner courses. Fundamental
Science and Computer Science. Publications in these research computer skills are vital in the current technology-driven
areas are principal contributors to published research outcomes. society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
However, cooperation and co-citation between different research development needs of students at a rural community college in
groups, as reflected by the respective research areas, seems the Southeast who lacked the computer literacy skills required in
rather weak. Researchers remain confined in their particular a basic computer course. Chi, Tai-Yin (2016) studied computer
professional and educational expertise without sufficient Skill Acquisition and Retention: The Effects of Computer-Aided
awareness of related research conducted in other areas. The Self-Explanation. This research presents an experimental study
scatter of research across the different areas and publications to determine to what extent computer skill learners can benefit
need to be elucidated to show potential for possible future from generating self-explanation with the aid of different
synergy (Stopar, K., Bartol, T, 2019). computer-based visualization technologies.
Ibrahem Usama and Alamro Abdulaziz (2021)
investigated the effects of Infographics on Developing METHODS
Computer Knowledge, Skills and Achievement Motivation The abilities and attitudes of the fourth-year MUCHS
among Hail University Students. The study aims to explore the medical students (MD4s) towards ICT were assessed using
difference between static infographics (SIs) and animated Questionnaire 1, an adapted version of a questionnaire
infographics (AIs) for developing e-learning and computer skills developed by Jeannette Murphy j.murphy@chime.ucl.ac.uk at
as well as increasing achievement motivation in students the Centre for Health Informatics and Multiprofessional
enrolled in e-learning and computer skills courses in the second Education (CHIME, http://www.chime.ucl.ac.uk) in London,
term of 2018/2019 at the Preparatory Year Program at the UK, to assess ICT skills amongst first-year medical students
University of Ha'il (UoH). Amer Mohammed and Elmetwali (MD1s) attending University College London (UCL). The
Mohammed (2020) studied the Impact of Distance Education on questionnaires were distributed to all MD4 students by
Learning Outcome in Computer Skills Course at Prince Sattam Tanzanian student representatives, to be filled in independently,
bin Abdulaziz University: An Experimental Study. and were then collected by the representatives (Stopar, K.,
The present study aimed to explore the impact of Bartol, T, 2019).
distance education on the learning outcome of students in Amer Mohammed and Elmetwali Mohammed (2020)
computer skills courses at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz studied the Impact of Distance Education on Learning Outcome
University in Al-Sulail, Saudi Arabia. In this study, the learning in Computer Skills Course at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz
outcome is represented in the student's academic achievement. University: An Experimental Study. The researcher adopted an
Al Hashlamoun Nafeth and Daouk Lina (2020) examined the experimental approach. He selected a sample consisting of 80
information Technology Teachers' Perceptions of the Benefits male students from 4 sections of a computer skills course. Those
and Efficacy of Using Online Communities in Practice When students were divided equally into control and experimental
Teaching Computer Skills Classes. This research explores how groups. The members of the control group were taught by
Information Technology (IT) teachers experience the use of adopting a face-to-face instructional approach. They attended 4
online communities of practice (CoP) in teaching a computer face-to-face lectures. The members of the experimental group
course called Computer Skills 2 (WRCO2). This course is the were taught online by using the Blackboard system. The
second of two computer skills courses in the Work Readiness researcher used a pre-test and a post-test for assessing students'
Program (WRP) running at a Higher Education Institution in the academic achievement.
Middle East (HEIME). This course focuses on the use of prior Al Hashlamoun Nafeth and Daouk Lina (2020)
foundational knowledge acquired in the first course to develop examined the information Technology Teachers' Perceptions of
understanding and proficiency in the use and application of the Benefits and Efficacy of Using Online Communities in
computer skills and concepts. Practice When Teaching Computer Skills Classes. A
Hsu Ting-Chia (2016) studied the effects of a Peer phenomenological approach has been chosen to help understand
Assessment System Based on a Grid-Based Knowledge and explore the qualitatively different ways in which particular
Classification Approach on Computer Skills Training. In this teachers experience the use of online CoP as a social and
study, a peer assessment system using the grid-based knowledge collaborative learning system. Two specific questions were
classification approach was developed to improve student's considered: How did teachers experience the use of online CoP
performance during computer skills training. Baker William in teaching the computer skills 2 classes? (2) What benefits, if

2022 EPRA IJMR | www.eprajournals.com | Journal DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra2013

269
 ISSN (Online): 2455-3662
EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal
Volume: 8| Issue: 8| August 2022|| Journal DOI: 10.36713/epra2013 || SJIF Impact Factor 2022: 8.205 || ISI Value: 1.188

any, have been derived from using online CoP in teaching this Explanation. The self-explanation condition without
course?. visualization did not attain statistical significance in comparison
Ragin Tracey (2013) examined administrators' to the control condition. The study did not detect statistical
perceptions of community college students' computer literacy differences between the three methods of stimulating self-
skills in beginner courses. Guided by Greenwood's pragmatic explanation, although the pattern of results was as predicted.
approach as a reformative force in higher education, this action Qualitative data collected from a learning experience survey
research study focused on understanding stakeholders' regarding the subjects' opinions about self-explanation prompts
perceptions of students' computer skills, determining showed that subjects in different treatment groups gave similar
interventions to address deficiencies, and understanding the responses about how they benefited from self-explanation
relationship between student's placement test scores and final prompts for learning HTML. The qualitative data also revealed
course outcomes. Inquiry in this mixed method study included the learners' challenges to perform self-explanation activities,
interview responses and correlational analysis of placement test which can be used to improve the design of self-explanation
scores, pretest scores, and final course outcomes in 4 beginning implementation and future studies.
computer courses. Interviews with administrators and faculty
provided perceptions concerning students' computer literacy CONCLUSION
skills, and data were coded to determine themes. The data exploitation process (as defined and used by
(Giorgi, 2009)) resulted in the identification of several themes.
RESULTS Similar themes were then grouped to form four central themes
Ibrahem Usama and Alamro Abdulaziz (2021) representing the essence of the original ones. The central themes
investigated the effects of Infographics on Developing were: (1) to promote student collaboration; (2) to redefine the
Computer Knowledge, Skills and Achievement Motivation teacher's role; (3) to encourage student engagement; and (4) to
among Hail University Students. The independent variables in manage the teachers' increased workload. This was followed by
this research consisted of SIs and AIs embedded learning a discussion of the benefits and challenges arising from using
content while achievement of e-learning and computer skills and online CoP in teaching the course, as well as a description of the
achievement motivation were the dependent variables being limitations of this study (Amer Mohammed and Elmetwali
observed. Pre-tests and post-test results showed that the learning Mohammed, 2020). Baker William (2013) empirically assesses
materials positively influenced the students' computer skills, e- the importance of computer skills. The computer skills
learning, and achievement motivation. This study revealed that examined are accounting software, databases, e-mail or Internet,
the use of SI had a greater effect on female student learning programming, spreadsheets, and word processing.
while AI was found more effective for male student learning. Students believe that grade point averages and all six
Amer Mohammed and Elmetwali Mohammed's (2020) computer skills are important. Faculty and recruiters believe all
study found that both groups share similar levels of computer skills are important except programming skills. Differences exist
literacy. It was found that distance education has a significant based on audit versus tax and gender. Spreadsheet skills are by
positive impact on student's academic achievement in the far the most important. Ragin Tracey (2013) study resulting
computer skills course. The researcher recommends adding recommendations promoted coaching and tutoring to assist
online instructional activities to the curricula used in Saudi students with low computer skills. With a focus on developing
universities. Hsu Ting-Chia (2016) studied the effects of a Peer educational alternatives to better serve students, implementation
Assessment System Based on a Grid-Based Knowledge of the recommendations may promote positive social change
Classification Approach on Computer Skills Training. The study that benefits not only students needing support in developing
results showed that the learning achievements of the students computer skills but also the community as well. Interview and
using the proposed system were significantly better than those of focus group data revealed recurring themes, such as the time
the other two groups. Therefore, integrating the knowledge allotted for the exam, the testing location, netbook computer
engineering approach with the peer-assessment process can problems, the testing software, the clarity of exam questions,
benefit students' learning, and help them attain computer skills and the overall purpose, i.e. critical thinking, of the exam.
certification. The dynamic peer assessment with a knowledge Conclusion: The value of using the exam for screening and
classification approach is not only useful but can also be assessment of information and computer skills for graduate
repeatedly applied to different question sets of the certificate of students remains questionable. While the testing environment
computer software application. Findings revealed that can be improved, the heart of the exam, i.e. critical thinking, can
participants believed students need basic computer skills before be demonstrated better with authentic assessments within the
attempting a beginning computer class, and no significant curriculum. Computer skills could then be addressed with an
correlation was found among the test scores. It was concluded assessment checklist in the orientation and introductory courses
that while the computer placement test assessed theoretical (Krueger, J.M., and Ha, Y., 2012).
understanding, it did not assess skills (Ragin Tracey, 2013).
Chi, Tai-Yin (2016) studied computer Skill Acquisition
and Retention: The Effects of Computer-Aided Self-

2022 EPRA IJMR | www.eprajournals.com | Journal DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra2013

270
 ISSN (Online): 2455-3662
EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal
Volume: 8| Issue: 8| August 2022|| Journal DOI: 10.36713/epra2013 || SJIF Impact Factor 2022: 8.205 || ISI Value: 1.188

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