Home PublicationsJRTEPast IssuesVolume 35 Number 1

	Edited by Dr. David J. Ayersman, Mary Washington College, and Dr. W. Michael Reed, New York University Incoming editor: Dr. Lynne Schrum, University of Georgia
formerly Journal of Research on Computing in Education

Volume 35 Number 1 Fall 2002

Information Technology Skills for a Pluralistic Society: Is the Playing Field Level?
Inés Márquez Chisholm and Jane Carey
Arizona State University West
Anthony Hernandez
California State University, Los Angeles

Abstract
Information technology skills are becoming more and more important to the success of students and teachers. These skills are acquired in many ways, including education, home use of computers, and on-the-job training. Literature has shown that computer access and integration of computers into curricula have been significantly lower in student populations from ethnic minorities in K­12 public schools. Studies have also shown that ethnic-minority households own computers at a lower rate than majority households. However, universities seldom stop to determine if required competencies exist uniformly across all students. This study focuses on access and use issues of students at an urban university across students of many different ethnicities. The findings indicate that discrepancies persist at the university level. A model of computer-based self-efficacy and performance is presented and partially validated. A discussion of the implications of these findings is included.

Contributors
Inés Márquez Chisholm is an associate professor of bilingual education at Arizona State University West. Dr. Chisholm received her PhD in curriculum and instruction and bilingual education from the University of Florida. Her research interests include minority access to information technology, technology for multicultural classrooms, and cultural diversity and education. Her teaching specialties include bilingual education, teaching the diverse child, and multicultural classrooms. Jane M. Carey is an associate professor of information systems in the School of Management at Arizona State University West. Dr. Carey received her PhD in business administration from the University of Mississippi. Dr. Carey joined the faculty at ASU West in 1988. Prior to that, she was a faculty member at Texas A&M University. Dr. Carey has research interests in the areas of human factors in information systems, computer access issues (U.S. and International), and Web-based learning. Dr. Carey’ s teaching interests include; information systems management, information technology skills, Visual Basic programming, systems analysis and design, and e-commerce. Anthony Hernández is an associate professor in the Division of Educational Foundations and Interdivisional Studies and manager of Enterprise Systems at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Hernández received his PhD in psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles. Dr. Hernández has research interests in the areas of ethnic identity, Latino academic achievement, minority access to technology, tobacco use among Latino adolescents, and helping behavior in drunk driving situations. His teaching specialties include the development of ethnic identity in children, statistics and research methods.

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Contact
Jane Carey
School of Management
Arizona State University West
PO Box 37100
Phoenix, AZ 85069
jcarey@asu.edu

Copyright © 2002, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). All rights reserved.