Differences in Anxiety Between IT Competent And Incompetent Malaysian Pre-Service Teachers: Can a Discrete IT Course Taught in a Constructivist Learning Environment Solve This Problem?
Abstract: The purpose of the study was to determine if teaching a discrete course in a constructivist learning environment could reduce the level of anxiety towards Information Technology (IT) among pre-service teachers who perceived themselves as IT competent (Group 1) and IT incompetent (Group 2). The study also sought to investigate if the anxiety level gap between Group 1 and Group 2 could be reduced through this method of teaching. Participants who were from Group 2 showed significantly positive changes in terms of their anxiety level after completing the course. Pretest results showed that participants who were IT competent had significantly lower level of anxiety towards IT. While the posttest results showed no differences between Groups 1 and 2 by the end of the course. The results indicated that participants who perceived as IT incompetent benefited more from the course compared to those who perceived themselves as IT competent. The results also suggested that infusing constructivism into a discrete IT course can reduce the anxiety level among participants who perceived themselves as IT incompetent.