Gender Differences in Computer Literacy Essay

Information Technology (IT) has had a positive impact on health direction delivery system worldwide, particularly in the aras of sickness control, diagnosis, patient focal point, teaching and learning. Anuobi (2004) pointed out that man has scientific eachy placed himself in an environwork forcet that is global and digital, which predisposes him to constant hold of learning, its location notwithstanding. Shanahan (2006) believes that the health care industry is in a state of constant and rapid adjustment and due to the increase in scientific knowledge and rapid technological advances, there has been a growing emphasis on the physicians need to efficiently find, retrieve, and use scientific evidences to improve patient care ( Li, Tan, Muller & Chen, 2009).Masood, caravanserai & Waheed (2010) noted that the availability of affordable computing machines and the advancement of breeding engine room render resulted in our ability to rapidly and efficaciously rag, retriev e, analyze, share, and store large volumes of information pertinent to patient care and for learning process in a teaching hospital . fit in to Poelmans, Truyen & Desl (2009) during the learning process, students are responsible for the management of their own information processes. After their graduation, the job market expects them to function as mobile knowledge- ploughers. It is therefore vital that students acquire the right attitudes and skills in come out to survive in this information society and to deal with the ceaseless information flood.As Masood, Khan & Waheed (2010) observed, estimator skills are vital for medical examination practitioners of the future. With the medical field being an information intensive profession, to use technology effectively for the advancement of patient care, the medical student must possess a variety of calculator skills. However, scholars like Luan, Aziz, Yunus, Sidek, Bakar, Meseran & Atan (2005) have observed that there is a gender ga p in the use of ICTs. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to settle down if there is a gender difference in the calculator literacy levels of clinical medical students by find outing at how they have access to computers, the frequency with which they use computers, if there is gender difference in the use of versatile bundle and look at problems they face when using computers.Literature check intofigurer literacy has been a subject of educational research for recent years. Computer literacy is destined as the knowledge and ability to use computers and related technology efficiently, with a range of skills covering levels from elementary use to programming and advanced(a) problem solving Lynch (1998). Computer literacy can to a fault tint to the comfort level someone has with using computer programs and other applications that are associated with computers (Wikipedia 2010). Anuobi (2004), described computer literacy as having a basic understanding of what computer is and how it can be employ as a resource. To Lynch (1998), computer technology literacy deals with an understanding of an infrastructure that underpins much of todays life, it also means knowing some basic things about ICT, for example, how to save and dissonant a file, or how to use a word processor (Tella & Mutala, 2008).The needfully of a medical student of the millennium generation in a rapidly changing information society has changed, he now has to sojourn new challenges which are vital to his survival in the information age. Idowu, Adagunodo, & Idowu (2004) indicated that knowledge, skills and say-so with computer technology are now an asset for those entering the private-enterprise(a) employment market. They further pointed out that every aspect of life from education, leisure, and work environment to social interactions is being influenced by computer technology. Moreover, with the increasing use of ICT in education the world over, new skills and competencies are needed by students to be repair equipped with the requisite digital literacy competencies.Essentially, gender refers to sets of relationships attributes, roles, beliefs and attitudes that define what being a man or a woman is within the society. It is a socially ascribed attribute as opposed to sex which is a biological attribute ( Oghiagbephan & Asamaigo, 2010). As a result of gender roles designate by different cultures many women have been brought up to see technology and its use as reserved for on the young-begetting(prenominal) gender. According to Munusamy & Ismail (2009) women look at computers and see more(prenominal)(prenominal) than machines, thus considering computers as masculine and compound to use.According to Asuquo & Onasanya (2006), many factors in and outside the classroom result in girls being turned away from computer technology. These factors include the media depicting men as experts in technology, societal expectations of different goals for boys and girls, t he structure of learning tasks, the personality of feedback in performance situations, and the organization of classroom seating. Because these factors are often subtle, they go unnoticed. It is little wonder why girls are not interested in computer technology. This situation has led to what scholars have termed the gender digital divide.Explaining this, Ikolo (2010), express that the gender digital divide is manifested in the low name of feminine users if ICTs compared to men. Gurumurty (2004), observed evidences that points towards gender imbalance in the use of computers and other technologies. According to Tella & Mutula (2008), the rationalize of gender equity as far as access to and use of ICTs continues to be a topical subject not just now in developing countries but the world over. However, available indices have began to advise that, although there is a gender gap in all countries, with the significant growth in access to and increased educational opportunities for more women, the relation back difference among men and women is diminishing (Sorenson, 2002, Kay, 2008 & Munusamy & Ismail, 2009).In the 1980s, research on computer literacy focused on the question of whether medical students were ready for the predictable omnipresence of computers in the future of doctors professional environment and if they possess necessary computer skills consort & Marz (2006). When Poelmans, Truyen & Desl (2009) compared the mean scores of computer literacy and its subscales by gender. The results showed a authorize pattern in two the global scale and the subscales young-begetting(prenominal) students report a significant higher degree of perceived computer literacy. In a similar study carried out by Link & Marz (2006) to examine the level of computer literacy of first year clinical students in Vinna, the study showed that although 94% of the student attested to accessing and using computers, of this make sense only if 26% of the young-bearing(prenom inal) students used computers frequently.Citing Ong & Lai, Luan, Aziz, Yunus, Sidek, Bakar, Meseran & Atan (2005) reported that males had more positive attitudes towards ICTs. Guptas (2001) study also found significant gender difference in the way females and males rated themselves in their ability to master technology skills. Even though both genders were positive about their computer abilities, males rated themselves higher than females. Kay (2006) reviewed 36 studies on gender and computer use and concluded that the male correspondents have significantly higher perceived computer literacyOn whether there was equality of access between the women academics and their male counterparts, 199 (97.1%) answered in the negative while only 6 (2.9%) respondents confirmed that there was equality of access. (Olatokun, 2007). Again, Link & Marzs (2006) study showed that more male medical students (72%) had access to personal computers (laptops). Respondents were also asked to indicate what co mputer applications they used. The results depicted that there is marked significant gender difference in application use of computer by male and female subjects.It was clear that male students engaged in applications like word processing, Internet browsing, e-mail, entropy analysis, programming, and CorelDraw more than the female, except that the females engage in chat and games more than their male counterparts. This result as well can be linked to the issue of fear and anxiety attributed with computer by the female subjects, and may be responsible for their lower engagement in using computer software and applications. Tella & Mutula, 2008).In a survey, Tella & Mutula (2008) found out that, when respondents were asked to state the number of hours that they used computers in a week, the results showed that there were differences in the male and female number of hours spent using computer per week with male medical students outgo more hours than the female medical students. While a considerable number of male students spent from 10-25 hours per week, female students spent between 1-4 hours per week. In another(prenominal) study by Rajab & Baqain (2005), a significant difference was found between males and females in the length of time they used computers. When asked about the frequency of computer use, male respondents (56%) were found to use computers more than female respondents (37%) (Munusamy & Ismail, 2009).Rajab & Baqain, (2005) concluded that although both gender of clinical students believed themselves to be competent in word processing, more males than females used multimedia presentations (power point). Luan, Aziz, Yunus, Sidek, Bakar, Meseran & Atan (2005), in their study found out that females were better at word processing and presentations and emailing than males. Olatokun (2007), in his study reached the conclusion that 70.7% female used computers for word processing 98.5% indicated not using ICT for games at all and a total of 84.9% responden ts used ICT very often for Internet browsing. methodologyThe study employed a descriptive survey method which affords the researcher the opportunity to study the present condition of the computer literacy skills of the clinical medical students. The population of the study comprised of 93 clinical medical students of Delta State University and University of Benin who are in 400 level. The total population was used as the model size for the study. entropy were collected using a self constructed, coordinate questionnaire that was divided into two sections. Section A was designed to gather bio data while B was meant to obtain data on computer literacy skills of the students. A total of 86 questionnaires were returned. The demographic characteristics of the respondents revealed 50(58.1%) as males and 36 (42%) as females. Data was analyzed using simple percentages.