COGNITIVE-STYLE, GENDER, ATTITUDE TOWARD COMPUTER-ASSISTED-LEARNING AND ACADEMIC-ACHIEVEMENT

This paper reports an investigation of cognitive style, gender, attitude toward using computer-assisted learning (CAL) and academic achievement among university students. A Group Embedded Figures Test was used to assess students' cognitive style and a questionnaire was used for the evaluation of students' attitude toward CAL. The results revealed that students have positive attitudes toward CAL but they were not prepared to rely entirely on CAL. A 2 x 2 ANOVA was used to investigate the effect of cognitive style and gender on the attitude toward CAL. The results revealed that male students preferred using CAL significantly more than females and field dependent students were more prepared to rely entirely on CAL than field independent students. On the other hand, there was a significant difference between males and females in their achievement scores in favour of the male group. But there was no difference between field dependence and field independence groups in their achievement. The results also revealed no significant relationship between students' attitudes toward CAL and their achievement in these courses.