Computer literacy among Arts Students:

Special Reference to: South Eastern University of Sri

Lanka
1
CMM.Mansoor and 2HM.Rafeena
Computer Unit, Faculty of Arts & Culture, South Eastern University of
Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
1
cmm.mansoorr@gmail.com ,2rafeerasha91@gmail.com

Abstract
Computer literacy is the ability to use computers and related technology efficiently with a range
of skills covering levels from elementary use for programming and advanced problem solving.
Computer Literacy is must for each individual in the digital age. The use of computer assisted
learning (CAL) has enhanced undergraduate education which improves students
performance in examinations, develops problem solving skills and increases student
satisfaction. The study is aimed to identify the effect of students Locale background (Rural/
Urban), Secondary educational background (Basic English and Computer Knowledge), Family
background (Socio-economic Factors) and Interest in particular area on computer literacy
among Arts students. The study was conducted at Faculty of Arts and Culture, South Eastern
University of Sri Lanka where more than 1000 students at faculty of arts. A significant number
of students were involved in this study and the mainly focused methods were the semi-
structural questionnaire and the focus interview. The data was collected over the period of one
month to keenly detect the concern objective under research study. The collected data was
analyzed using statistical software. The urban and rural settings and socio-economic status of
students affect their exposure to computer recourses, the basic knowledge in English and
Computer mostly affect their literacy level, the students who have basic knowledge in those
areas, have high computer literacy level than others. Also, their interest level in particular area
makes high influence in their computer literacy level. This research revealed that, Arts
undergraduates have low-intermediate level of computer literacy which is effected by so many
factors. There is a need to improve computer literacy, by increasing computer training in
schools or introducing computer training in the initial stages of the undergraduate programme.
These two options require improvement in infrastructure and other resources.

Keywords: Computer Literacy, Arts Students, CAL, Undergraduates

1. INTRODUCTION

With the emergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT),

computers have become an essential tool necessary for the effective
implementations of all ICT programs. Students in higher institutions of learning
especially the universities are expected to have a sound knowledge of computer
appreciation to be able to cope with the modern world. computer literary as knowing
some basics using the computer, for example, to save and open a file, use a word
processing program, send and receive e-mail etc. it means having some sort of
level of comfort around computers rather than having some fear or a feeling of
foreboding (New York Times, 2006). Computers are being increasingly utilized as
an aid in undergraduate educations.

Knowledge, skills and confidence with computer technology are now an asset for
entering the competitive employment market and every aspect of life from
education, leisure and work environment to social interactions is being influenced
by computer technology. With the increasing use of ICT in education the world
over, new skills and competencies among students are required for them to
executively learn. New York Times company (2006) points out that in most places
of business, a computer is a standard tool. In the banking sector classroom
interaction as well as automated library environment, the computer remains a
standard tool that must be used and it is in the best interest of students to have a
sound knowledge of computer technology. Institutions of higher learning in Srilanka
especially the universities had made frantic efforts to enforce computer literacy
among the students by introducing computer studies as a General Studies course
which remains a basic requirement for graduation. In most primary and secondary
schools in Srilanka especially the privately owned schools, the computer remains
an object for advertisement not minding if they are functional or not.

With the introduction of the computer studies in the General Studies Unit, it is
expected that the impact of computer literacy must be felt among arts
Undergraduates but Lamented that a greater percentage of the arts undergraduate
students apply a theoretical approach to the learning of computer studies and do
not possess any practical skill in computer operations. One would expect that such
training will be focused at making the average arts undergraduate to be computer
literate and not merely to pass the examination at the end of the semester.
 The concept of computer literacy can best be explained as the ability to make use
of computer system to word process documents, analyze data, develop small
computer programmes, browse internet and install software. perceive computer
literacy as the amount of computer knowledge required and the length of computer
usage, conceive computer literacy based on the amount of the time spent on the
computer, ownership of computer and number of computer related courses taken.

The use of computer assisted learning has enhanced arts students education in
numerous ways. Computers are used for a wide range of functions in their
education, which ranges from simple practice applications and computer based
lectures to more advanced simulations and intelligent tutoring systems Studies
have consistently shown that computer assisted learning improves performance at
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), and written assessments, develops problem
solving skills and knowledge, and increases student satisfaction. In addition
computers are also now being regularly used in student assessments. Hence it is
evident that computer literacy has become a vital competency for the present day
arts undergraduates.

This paper is intended to find out if there is any significant relationship between
students Locale background (Rural/ Urban), Secondary educational background
(Basic English and Computer Knowledge), Family background (Socio-economic
Factors) and Interest in particular area on computer literacy among arts
undergraduate students. The study was conducted at Faculty of Arts and Culture,
South Eastern University of Sri Lanka where more than 1000 students at faculty of
arts.

2. METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted at Faculty of Arts and Culture, South Eastern University of
Srilanka where more than 1000 students at faculty of arts. We decided to collect
information through 1:10 range. We used the qualitative and quantitative research
techniques and random sampling techniques to select a sample of 200 respondents to
identify out if there is any significant relationship between students Locale
background (Rural/ Urban), Secondary educational background (Basic English and
Computer Knowledge), Family background (Socio-economic Factors) and Interest in
particular area on computer literacy among arts undergraduate students. . For this
purpose research was designed on using the semi structured questionnaire for the
 purpose of data collection. The data was collected over the period of one month to
keenly detect the concern objective under research study. A questionnaire consisting
of 25 questions was designed. The questionnaire contains four parts, the first part is
designed to identify Does the Socio-economic status of students affect their exposure
to computer recourses?. The second part of the questionnaire includes to reveal
Does the urban and rural settings affect their exposure to computer recourses?. The
third part of the survey was focused on Does the basic knowledge in English and
Computer mostly affect their literacy level?. The forth part of the survey was
designed to identify the Does students interest level in particular area makes high
influence in their computer literacy level.Data collection through a questionnaire survey
was chosen because it allows a larger sample, and the collection of larger amount of
data in relatively short time. The collected data was then analyzed on statistical
software. The percentiles methodology was used to display the results.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The total sample size included 200 respondents in which 47.3 % were male and 52.7%
were females. The socio economic status of 33.9% respondents were high, where as
66.1% were low. The sample comprised the respondents from rural and urban
background to check the tendency of usage of computer in both locales. Out of 200
respondents 60.7% were from rural background and 39.3% from urban background.
And also we collected the information regarding their previous knowledge in English
and Computer in their Secondary educations. In our sample out of 200 respondents
30.3% were with previous basic knowledge in English and Computer, whereas 69.7%
were low knowledge in that particular areas. To identify the knowledge of any particular
area, first of all we should know their interest level in that particular area. 25.5% were
interested in the field while 74.5% were not interested.
3.1 Result 1: Socio-economic status of students affect their exposure to
computer recourses
As a result of the first part of the questionnaire, Out of our 200 sample 33.9%
respondents were high and 66.1% were low in socio economic status. From both
categories, we collected the information using questionnaires. The result shows that
those who were in the low level socio economic status, they faced so many difficulties
to access computer resources and their computer literacy level so it seems very low,
on the other hand those who come from high socio economic status, they have own
computers and other computable devices so they have high level knowledge in
computer literacy. So the socio economic status of students affect their exposure to
computer resources.
 3.2 Result 2: The urban and rural settings affect their exposure to computer
recourses
According to the result of second part of questionnaire, 60.7% of respondents were
from rural background whose literacy level is low because due to their rural setting and
lack of computer facilities and resources those who face so many difficulties in
accessing computer resources, as a results its seems very low, on the other hand
39.3% of respondents were from urban setting whose literacy level is very high
because due to their urban setting and high facilities and resources those who can be
able to acquire enough computer literacy from various resources of urban setting, as
a result their computer literacy level is so high
3.3 Result 3: The basic knowledge in English and Computer mostly affect their
literacy level
Third part of questionnaire designed to identify of students computer literacy level and
the reason for being high and low in computer literacy level which shows that 69.7%
of respondents were low in that particular area because due to their low knowledge in
English and Computer in their secondary education those who face difficulties in
acquiring their computer literacy, as a results their literacy level seems very low. On
the other hand 30.3% of respondents were very high in literacy level because due to
their enough previous basic knowledge in English and Computer in secondary
education those who acquire the computer literacy from their secondary education. So
that their computer literacy level is high.

3.4 Result 4: Students interest level in particular area makes high influence in
their computer literacy level.

The last part of the questionnaire was designed to identify Does students
interest level in particular area makes high influence in their computer literacy level?
the results show that 74.5% of respondents were very low in their literacy level in that
particular area because they show their disinterest in acquiring computer literacy so
their literacy level is low while 25.5% of respondents were high in their literacy level
because they show their interest in learning computer from various ways. So due to
their high interest in acquiring computer literacy they are in very high level.
4. CONCLUSION
The study was conducted to identify the effect of students Locale background (Rural/
Urban), Secondary educational background (Basic English and Computer
Knowledge), Family background (Socio-economic Factors) and Interest in particular
area on computer literacy among Arts students. the findings of the study shows that,
the urban and rural settings and socio-economic status of students affect their
exposure to computer recourses, the basic knowledge in English and Computer mostly
affect their literacy level, the students who have basic knowledge in those areas, have
high computer literacy level than others. Also, their interest level in particular area
makes high influence in their computer literacy level. This research revealed that, Arts
undergraduates have low-intermediate level of computer literacy which is effected by
so many factors. There is a need to improve computer literacy, by increasing computer
training in schools or introducing computer training in the initial stages of the
undergraduate programme. These two options require improvement in infrastructure
and other resources.
5. REFERENCES
[1]. Furst_bowe, J. (2005). An analysis of required computer competencies for
University students Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 28, (2) 175-89.
[2]. Kay, R.H. (2003). A practical research tool for assessing ability to use computers:
The computer ability survey (CAS). Journal of Research on Computer in Education,
Vol. 26, (1) 16-28.
[3].Loyd, B. and Gressard, C. (1984). The effect of age, and computer experience on
computer attitudes. AEDS Journal, 18, (2); 67-7 76.
[4]. The New York Times Company. 2006. Computer Literacy.
Available at: htt://careerplanning.about.com/od/importantskills/a/comp_litera cy.htm.
[Accessed on : 15th May 2017]
[5]. An Assessment of Computer Awareness and Literacy among Entry-Level
University of Colombo Undergraduates:A Case Study
Available at:
https://www.google.lk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=
8&ved=0ahUKEwiKufeGhbDUAhWIZj4KHYhGD7AQFggpMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2
Ficter.sljol.info%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F4671%2F3767%2F&usg=AFQjCNH21a1
dczqnggteFq3gL5FycETKtg
[Accessed on : 15th May 2017]
[6]. Computer literacy among first year medical students in a developing country: A
cross sectional study
Available at :https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-0500-5-
504
[Accessed on : 15th May 2017]