Assessing students' ability to use computers: theoretical considerations for practical research

The assessment of students' ability to use computers should be a central tenet of educational computing research, but until now most studies have relied on vague and imprecise definitions of what actually constitutes being able to use a computer. More often than not researchers are content to accept a self-evaluation from the student, often in the form of a response to a single question, and even the more elaborate attempts to measure ability have proved too narrow or ill-focused to be of lasting value. This paper argues that before attempting to assess computer ability the overall nature of the concept should first be considered. From this, a theoretical framework of ability can then be constructed on which to base subsequent practical assessment. The paper also raises methodological issues to be considered by future research into students' use of computers.