The Effects of Age, Gender, and Major on Measures of Jordanian Students’ Attitudes towards Academic Group Learning in Computer Training Courses

Abstract

The purpose of study was to investigate students’ attitudes towards academic group learning in computer training courses in education department at a university in Jordan as well as the effect of age, gender, and major on students’ attitudes towards academic group learning. The participants in this study were 183 undergraduate and graduate students who were enrolled in on-campus educational technology courses at a public Jordanian university over two semesters. Cross-sectional survey design was selected in the current study. The questionnaires, which were designed to measure students’ attitudes toward academic group learning, were distributed and collected at the end of the semesters. The analysis of students’ responses showed that the students had positive attitudes toward academic group learning. In addition, students’ attitudes towards academic group learning were not different accordance with students’ gender and age. However, students’ responses for one of the scales of their attitudes toward group learning   were different accordance with students’ major, where computer science and computer engineering students showed more favorable attitudes towards academic group learning compared to education students. The results were useful in providing faculty members empirical data regarding students’ preferred teaching methods that they can employ in their educational practice.

Keywords: Group learning, Students’ Attitudes, Computer Training Courses