Abstract

The present study set out to investigate the impacts of incorporating e-mail, one of the most accessible, convenient, and easy to use computer-mediated communications, into a classroom setting on student academic achievement and attitudes. A posttest-only control-group design was adopted. Two classes from a “Computers in Education” course participated in the study and were randomly assigned to different conditions, namely, the e-mail diffusion group and the non-e-mail diffusion group. Two criteria-referenced performance-type posttests were used for individual student computer capabilities assessment. “Prospective Teacher Computer Attitudes Scale” was adopted to assess e-mail's effects on student attitudes toward computers. Results from the data analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference in student academic performance. However, no statistically significant difference was found in student attitudes toward computers. The obtained results provided empirical evidence supporting the usefulness of e-mail as a promising aid to promote student cognitive growth pertaining to computer knowledge and skills. Based on the collected data, it was concluded that without additional investment in equipment and software, incorporating e-mail into the learning process might be a promising enhancement to instruction that teachers could readily adopt.

Citation

Yu, F.Y. & Yu, H.J.J. (2002). Incorporating e-mail into the learning process: its impact on student academic achievement and attitudes. Computers & Education, 38(1), 117-126. Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved August 5, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/92898/.

Keywords

• academic achievement
• Applications in subject areas
• Attitudes
• Computer Attitudes
• computer-mediated communication
• Control Groups
• Electronic Mail
• Foreign Countries
• higher education
• improving classroom teaching
• Learning Processes
• post-secondary education
• Pretests Posttests
• student attitudes
• Teaching/Learning Strategies