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Assessing the Impact of the MAXHELP Microcomputer Orientation Course on Administrator, Teacher and Non-Educator Concerns Relating to Microcomputer Acceptance
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The problem this descriptive study dealt with was the fear (computerphobia) administrators, teachers, and noneducators have concerning the acceptance of microcomputers in the educational setting. The MAXHELP Project is an Air University sponsored program to assist the local schools in scientific and technological education. The 12 hour MAXHELP Microcomputer Orientation Course has graduated over 500 educators from seven Alabama school districts. This study used the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ). This instrument was developed at the Inter-Institutional Program for the Reasearch and Development Center for Teacher Education, The University of Texas at Austin, by Hall, George and Rutherford. The SoCQ was mailed to a random sample of 300 MAXHELP graduates. A total of 212 responses were used in the study. This report concludes that the administrator and teacher groups are moving through the stages of concern when compared with the typical "non-user." Teachers show greater concerns relating to Management and administrators have greater concerns on Consequence, Collaboration, and Refocusing. Administrators are not users of microcomputers in the classroom, but are very concerned about how to facilitate the spread of microcomputers throughout the school curriculum. In general, the data indicate more similarity of teaching concerns by age, years teaching experience, and area of specialization. Concerns relating to the demands of microcomputers upon the individual who has to use microcomputers in the classroom cannot be satisfied without the microcomputer being available. Personal stage concerns will probably remain high until more microcomputers are available in the classroom. Teachers who have been in the classroom between one to six years appear to be the most prone to resist change. Special attention needs to be given to this group to demonstrate the advantages of the microcomputer as a teaching tool and as an administrative aid at both the pre-service and in-service levels.