A Technology Gender Divide: Perceived Skill and Frustration Levels among Female Preservice Teachers.

This study examined female preservice teachers' perceptions of gender differences in the learning and use of computer technology, examining: how they compared themselves to males with regard to computer technology; at what skill levels they rated themselves with regard to various educational technology applications; how levels of self-esteem equated with frustration when they worked with technology; and how they rated the effectiveness of their technology training with their teacher education program. Data from surveys of 45 student teachers and an interview with 1 student teacher related to the survey indicated that there were four overlapping themes: gender bias on the part of females (most thought that men knew more about and were more enthusiastic about computer technology); low self-esteem with computer technology and evidence of frustration; medium enthusiasm and competency levels in various educational technology programs; and an opinion expressing weakness in the technology training received from teacher education classes. The findings suggest that female teachers would be reluctant to embrace computer technology in the classroom and that teacher education programs do not do enough to encourage computer literacy among female students. (Contains 17 references.) (SM)