The efficacy of independent computer training at a four-year public university

The purpose of this research was to conduct an evaluation of an independent computer-training program at a four-year public university, to describe the students who use the program and determine the computer skills used by students to complete their academic work. The goal of any training program is to produce a motivated user who has the basic skills needed to apply what has been learned and then continues to learn. In the case of technology training at the university level, the goal is to arm students with computer skills used in academic studies. This research examined one such program to determine if it achieved its goal.;The Student Peer Trainers (SPT) provide free computer training classes to University of Wisconsin-Madison students. Classes are nondegree-credit sessions, administered through the Division of Information Technology. It is a major objective of the program to offer instruction to students on computer skills that assist them in completion of their academic program.;The first area examined was the analysis of attendance statistics from all years the SPT program has been operating. The most significant finding was a consistent decline in overall attendance rates (the total number of students attending courses held by the Student Peer Trainers) since the beginning of the program in 1994--95.;The second area of research involved an analysis of SPT course evaluations. The most significant finding was the large number of Graduate students who exceeded all other population groups. Attendees rated the courses, the content, the class materials and instructors as "very good" or "excellent".;A survey of SPT course attendees found that 611% of survey respondents learned computer skills in the SPT program that helped them with their academic work. Students reported many reasons for preferring the Student Peer Trainers over other forms of computer training (such as video training) including the opportunity to ask questions of the instructor.