The Effect of Teaching Method via Computer on Students’ Anxiety

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teaching method via computer on students’ level of anxiety with respect to the gender, computer experiences, and academic achievement. The sample consisted of 40 students (21 females and 19 males) from the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Jordan. The participants who enrolled in a required undergraduate course of methods of teaching physical education class during the second semester of 2003/2004 were selected purposely. The participants were taught via Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) method for ten weeks. The results of data analysis of the anxiety scale indicated that teaching method via computer reduced student’s level of computer anxiety from pre-tests to post-test, they scored significantly lower in the post test. The results also indicated that there were no significant differences between male and female students on computer anxiety tests. In addition, regarding students experiences, students with more than one year of computer experiences had lower level of computer anxiety than students with less than one year of computer experiences and students without computer experiences in pre and post tests. Students with more than one year of computer experiences scored significantly lower; furthermore, students with less than one year of experiences scored significantly lower than students without computer experiences in pre and post tests. Finally, students with high GPA scored significantly lower than students with low GPA. The researcher recommends that the CAI programs used in this study could also be used in other courses and other Faculties of Physical Education in Jordan Universities as an effective alternative to the traditional method of teaching.