Quantitative Study on Computer Self-Efficacy and Computer Anxiety Differences in Academic Major and Residential Statu

This study investigates computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety within 61 students across two academic majors, Aviation and Sports and Exercise Science, while investigating the impact residential status, age, and gender has on those two psychological constructs. The purpose of the study is to find if computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety are impacted by academic major, age, gender, and living status. Self-efficacy and anxiety are interconnected and this study uses Bandura's self-efficacy theory to drive the framework. The Computer Self-Efficacy scale and the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale (CARS) were used to measure levels of self-efficacy and anxiety as it relates to computer usage and was distributed to the 61 higher education students via an online survey on Google Forms. The results of the study showed that the participants showed a mean CSES score of 116 which is categorized as high computer self-efficacy. The mean CARS score was 54.689 which is labeled as moderate computer anxiety. Students in the Exercise and Movement Science department had higher levels of computer anxiety and lower levels of computer self-efficacy than the Aviation department students. Women had lower levels of computer self-efficacy than males and older students in the study showed higher levels of computer self-efficacy. Residential status did not show a difference in computer anxiety levels or computer self-efficacy levels amongst the students. The results of this study show that computer anxiety is still present in today's learners, regardless of age, gender, residential status, or academic major. Moderate levels of computer anxiety were seen in these students but also high levels of CSE were noticed. In practice, educators must acknowledge that even in situations with high student CSE levels, there still may remain high levels of computer anxiety. Students today are to be considered digital natives, but in learning new technologies, anxiety may still be present even with high levels of self-efficacy on its use. According to this study, anxiety amongst computer use is still present at a moderate level in students and can be impacted by raising CSE through certain pedagogy and strategies.