Abstract: The increasing amount of time children are spending on computers at home and school has raised questions about how the use of computer technology may make a difference in their lives—from helping with homework to causing depression to encouraging violent behavior. This article provides an overview of the limited research on the effects of home computer use on children’s physical, cognitive, and social development. Initial research suggests, for example, that access to computers increases the total amount of time children spend in front of a television or computer screen at the expense of other activities, thereby putting them at risk for obesity. At the same time, cognitive research suggests that playing computer games can be an important building block to computer literacy because it enhances children’s ability to read and visualize images in three-dimensional space and track multiple images simultaneously. The limited evidence available also indicates that home computer use is linked to slightly better academic performance. The research findings are more mixed, however, regarding the effects on children’s social development. Although little evidence indicates that the moderate use of computers to play games has a negative impact on children’s friendships and family relationships, recent survey data show that increased use of the Internet may be linked to increases in loneliness and depression. Of most concern are the findings that playing violent computer games may increase aggressiveness and desensitize a child to suffering, and that the use of computers may blur a child’s ability to distinguish real life from simulation. The authors conclude that more systematic research is needed in these areas to help parents and policymakers maximize the positive effects and to minimize the negative effects of home computers in children’s lives.

Abstract: This study examined the changes in preservice and inservice teachers’ attitudes toward computers following their participation in an educational computing class, and it explored the factors that contributed to their computer use. The study used data from 114 preservice and inservice teachers (83 female, 31 male) who attended a university in southern California. Results of doubly multivariate repeated measures indicated that teachers’ attitudes (anxiety, confidence, and liking) significantly improved after the computer literacy course. The follow-up study indicated that teachers’ prior computer experience shaped their expectations of the course. Teachers reported that having a home computer, a professor’s willingness to teach, and the current use of technology in the schools at which they work also influenced their attitudes toward and use of computers.

Abstract: Computer technology has ushered in a new era of mass media, bringing with it great promise and great concerns about the effect on children’s development and wellbeing. Although we tend to see these issues as being new, similar promises and concerns have accompanied each new wave of media technology throughout the past century: films in the early 1900s, radio in the 1920s, and television in the 1940s. With the introduction of each of these technologies, proponents touted the educational benefits for children, while opponents voiced fears about exposure to inappropriate commercial, sexual, and violent content. This article places current studies on children and computers in a historical context, noting the recurrent themes and patterns in media research during the twentieth century. Initial research concerning each innovation has tended to focus on issues of access and the amount of time children were spending with the new medium. As use of the technology became more prevalent, research shifted to issues related to content and its effects on children. Current research on children’s use of computers is again following this pattern. But the increased level of interactivity now possible with computer games and with the communication features of the Internet has heightened both the promise of greatly enriched learning and the concerns related to increased risk of harm. As a result, research on the effects of exposure to various types of content has taken on a new sense of urgency. The authors conclude that to help inform and sustain the creation of more quality content for children, further research is needed on the effects of media on children, and new partnerships must be forged between industry, academia, and advocacy groups.

Abstract: Using data from the March and October CPS, the author investigates the effect of computers on the demand for female workers. A model illustrates that computers, by changing skill requirements and the conditions of work—de-emphasizing physical skill—should favor women even if women have no advantage over men in using computers or in acquiring computer skills. Decompositions of the growth in women's employment and cross-industry-occupation regressions indicate that increases in computer use can account for over half of the growth in demand for female workers. Consistent with the hypothesis that differences in the physical requirements of jobs are responsible for these effects, increases in computer use have the greatest effect among skilled blue-collar workers and workers with less than a college education. The increase in computer use may contribute to an apparent substitutability between highly skilled women and less skilled men found in other research.

Abstract: Introduction Since the early 1990s, English-language teaching professionals have tried a variety of ways to make use of the Internet to promote language learning and practice. These range from the creation of self-access on-line quiz collections to the use of authentic on-line materials as input for contentbased projects and activities (Hegelheimer, Mills, Salzmann, & Shetzer, 1996). However, the Internet is much more than just a teaching tool. It is becoming one of the primary media of literacy and communication practices. The estimated number of worldwide users of the Internet topped 130 million in August 1998 (Nua Ltd., 1998) and continues to grow at a rate of 40%-50% a year, with growth rates in China, Indonesia, and other developing countries as great as or greater than in the United States (Glave, 1998). E-mail is now surpassing face-to-face and telephone conversation as the most frequently used communication tool in certain business sectors (American Management Association International, 1998), while Internet-based publishing and collaboration are transforming scientific research (Harnad, 1991). Meanwhile, students of all ages must learn to find, share, and interpret on-line information as part of a necessary shift from just in case to just in time learning (Lemke, 1998). Even in the personal sphere, the Internet has become a major arena for entertainment and socializing in the United States and other developed countries. Thus, it is no exaggeration to say that the development of literacy and communication skills in new on-line media is critical to success in almost all walks of life.

Abstract: Purpose: To explore the use of computer-based qualitative data analysis software packages. Scope: The advantages and capabilities of qualitative data analysis software are described and concerns about their effects on methods are discussed. Findings: Advantages of using qualitative data analysis software include being freed from manual and clerical tasks, saving time, being able to deal with large amounts of qualitative data, having increased flexibility, and having improved validity and auditability of qualitative research. Concerns include increasingly deterministic and rigid processes, privileging of coding, and retrieval methods; reification of data, increased pressure on researchers to focus on volume and breadth rather than on depth and meaning, time and energy spent learning to use computer packages, increased commercialism, and distraction from the real work of analysis. Conclusions: We recommend that researchers consider the capabilities of the package, their own computer literacy and knowledge of the package, or the time required to gain these skills, and the suitability of the package for their research. The intelligence and integrity that a researcher brings to the research process must also be brought to the choice and use of tools and analytical processes. Researchers should be as critical of the methodological approaches to using qualitative data analysis software as they are about the fit between research question, methods, and research design.

Abstract: AutoTutor is a fully automated computer tutor that assists students in learning about hardware, operating systems, and the Internet in an introductory computer literacy course. AutoTutor presents questions and problems from a curriculum script, attempts to comprehend learner contributions that are entered by keyboard, formulates dialog moves that are sensitive to the learner's contributions (such as prompts, elaborations, corrections, and hints), and delivers the dialog moves with a talking head. Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) is a major component of the mechanism that evaluates the quality of student contributions in the tutorial dialog. LSA's evaluations of college students' answers to deep reasoning questions are equivalent to the evaluations provided by intermediate experts of computer literacy, but not as high as more accomplished experts in computer science. LSA is capable of discriminating different classes of student ability (good, vague, erroneous or mute students) and in tracking the quality of ...

Abstract: Feeding children's passion for computers, billions of dollars in both public and private funds are being spent to give children access in school, at home, and in the community. Nearly every school is now equipped with computers, [1] and over two-thirds of our nation's children have access at home. [2] But is computer technology improving children's lives? This journal issue examines how children are affected by the emerging world of computers. It explores how computer use is affecting children's development physically, intellectually, socially, and psychologically; whether computers are increasing or decreasing the disparities between rich and poor; and whether computers are being used effectively to enhance classroom instruction. This article reviews the main themes of the journal issue by summarizing highlights of both the promise as well as concerns surrounding children's use of computers, and by focusing on factors society should consider when making choices about the role of technology in children's lives. Why is access important? Who needs access and for what? How can we assure that access leads to positive learning experiences at school and at home? As computers become ubiquitous in our daily lives, it is important to understand how computer technology can enhance or detract from a child's growth and development. Computers are not an end in themselves, but a means to an end. We must determine what we want our children to experience and learn from their use of computers so that they are empowered to take control of this powerful new tool in their lives. The Importance of Access Computer technology has transformed society in profound ways. For better or worse, the increasing pervasiveness of computer technology is a reality no one can ignore. Computers are fast becoming integrated into nearly every aspect of daily living--from school to work, to banking and shopping, to paying taxes and even voting. They provide access to a wide range of information without a trip to the library. They convey personal messages in place of the post office or telephone. And they compete with newspapers, radio, and television in providing entertainment and news of the day. Computer technology also has a profound effect on our economy. Not only are computers changing the way goods and services are manufactured, distributed, and purchased, but they are also changing the skills workers need to be productive and earn a living. Almost every job today requires at least some knowledge of computers, and for an increasing number of jobs, productivity is directly related to an individual's level of computer expertise. [3] As the economy moves increasingly to computer-based work, the changes are bringing a societal transformation as significant as the Industrial Revolution. Just as society was transformed when families migrated from an agrarian way of life to work in factories 200 years ago, in the "Digital Age," computer technology is transforming society by enabling many people to work anytime, anywhere, freed from a workplace anchored in time and space. [4] Political participation is also changing because of computer technology. The Internet is increasingly the primary access point for disseminating information about government policies, programs, and services. E-mail lists and chat rooms have become popular vehicles for forming political coalitions at the national, state, and local levels. In 1999, more than 23 million individual taxpayers (about 19%) filed their returns via the Internet, and the number is expected to double by 20O6. [5] And in what many see as the wave of the future, the nation's first legally binding public election using the Internet took place in March 2000, when 42% of those voting in Arizona's Democratic Party presidential primary cast their ballots online. [6] The public generally agrees that for children to participate socially, economically, and politically in this new and different world, they must acquire a certain level of comfort and competence in using computers. …

Abstract: To be effective users of computer technologies and be models for students' computer use, teachers must have positive computer attitudes and feel self-efficacious in using them. The computer training that teachers receive through their teacher education program is likely to foster positive computer affect, yet the change may require time and development. This longitudinal study examined prospective teachers' changes in perceived anxiety/discomfort with and usefulness of computer technology, frequency of using word processing, e-mail, spreadsheets, database management, statistical packages, and CD-ROM databases, and perceived self-efficacy with the six selected computer technologies over three years of study. Statistical analyses of data involved three time periods and two student-teacher cohorts. Significant time effect, cohort effect, and time by cohort interaction effect are discussed. Technology is having a significant influence on the future of education. In some cases, computer technology has manifested its potential in helping teachers facilitate students' problem-solving skills, scientific inquiry, understanding of abstract mathematical concepts, communication skills, and workplace competencies (Office of Technology Assessment, 1995). Current learning theories, such as constructivism, emphasize using computer technology as a tool to access and organize information, and to construct personal knowledge. On the other hand, the Office of Technology Assessment (1995) reported that "despite technologies available in schools, a substantial number of teachers report little or no use of computers for instruction" (p. 1). Marcinkiewicz (1994) found that more than half of the teaching population displayed a pattern of under use or non-use of computer-related resources in schools. Evans-Andris (1995) examined 72 elementary teachers' computing styles. What was found was that more than half (60%) o f the teachers avoided using computers and treated computer lab visits as an aimless activity. Many teachers have doubts about computer technology and their own ability because computer technology was not part of their learning experience. In addition, the rapid evolution of computer applications in education appears to further complicate the situation. Therefore, teachers must have positive computer attitudes and feel self-efficacious in using computer technologies in order to model effective computer use for their students. THEORETICAL AND RESEARCH BACKGROUND Computer Affect Affect such as attitudes, values, and self-judgments can exert a profound effect on behaviors. Negative emotions are more likely to deter a person from trying new things, while positive affect tends to strengthen a person's belief and promote productive behavior (Campbell & Williams, 1990). The construct of computer attitudes has multiple dimensions. A substantial amount of literature suggests that computer anxiety can be a great obstacle for educators' computer adoption (Gabriel & MacDonald, 1996; Hakkinen, 1995; Handler, 1993; Hunt & Bohlin, 1993; Kernan & Howard, 1990; Koohang, 1989; Liu, Reed & Phillips, 1992; Loyd & Gressard, 1984; McInerney, McInerney & Sinclair, 1994; Reed & Overbaugh, 1992; Reed & Overbaugh, 1993; Robertson, Calder, Fung, Jones & O'Shea, 1995; Stimmel, Connor, McCaskill & Durrett, 1981). Stressful encounters with computers are likely to cause an aversive predisposition toward the object. Many studies also measured attitudes toward computer usefulness to help predict computer behavior . Campbell (1992) found that college students' attitudes toward the usefulness of computers were predictive of their enrollments in college computer courses. Marcinkiewicz (1994) reported that teachers' perceived relevance of computers for teaching was one of the factors that influenced their motivation to integrate computers into teaching. Perceived self-efficacy is defined as "personal judgments of one's capability to organize and implement actions in specific situations that may contain novel, unpredictable, and possible stressful features" (Schunk, 1984, p. …

Abstract: Background: Continuing education/continuing medical education (CE/CME) programs that adopt self-directed, computer-based instruction formats via the Internet or CD-ROM can ease the demands placed on clinicians who are required by licensing boards to accumulate CE/CME credits as part of their career-long learning. Despite the benefits and availability of computer-based instruction, on-site programs still dominate current CE/CME delivery modes. In order to increase the use of computer-based CE/CME programs, it is important to identify the barriers that inhibit their use. Method: A survey was conducted to assess the practices, preferences, and barriers to use of CE/CME delivery methods among physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in Nevada. Results: Of 3,213 surveys sent, 1,120 were completed and returned for an overall response rate of 35%. In-person conferences (93%) and print-based methods (66%) were the most frequently reported methods of acquiring CE/CME. The majority of respondents had access to computer-based technologies. Respondents with more years in clinical practice were less likely to have access to or to use computer-based technologies. The top three preferred CE/CME delivery modes, in rank order, were in-person conferences, print-based self-study, and CD-ROM. The least preferred method of receiving CE/CME was interactive audioconference (telephone conference calls). “Not knowing how” was the most frequently reported reason for not using the Internet for computer-based training and the second most frequent reason for not using a CD-ROM. Implications: Program planners may wish to offer training in new technologies during on-site conferences, provide CD-ROMs as take-home instructional materials, or promote technology awareness in other ways to help clinicians prepare for changes in the electronic delivery of health care and education.

Abstract: Technological literacy has been given official sanction; it is the end of technology education in the United States. For most technology educators, the construct is neutral, and something nobody could be ‘against’. This article situates technological literacy in its ideological context of competitive supremacy and conservative politics. In opposition to a ‘neutral’ notion of this construct, a turn toward critical technological literacy is negotiated. Critical technological literacy represents an overtly political turn toward overcoming forms of power that sustain inequities in the built world. To engage in these politics, it is argued that technology educators will necessarily have to resituate their practice within cultural studies.

Abstract: This study focused on how to train older adults to perform computer procedures. Young-old (aged 60 74 years) and old-old (aged 75 years and older) adults were instructed on how to use ELDERCOMM , an electronic bulletin board system using one of two types of text-based instructions. The first set of directions consisted of illustrated, step-by-step instructions (simple condition). The second set of directions included the same step-by-step instructions as in the first set, but explanatory information about how the bulletin board system worked was added before the

Abstract: In the last two decades issues regarding management of Information Technology (IT) within organizations have gained due consideration. The heavy reliance on IT has caused difficulties for chief executives? officers (CEOs) to optimize their computing resources. A survey of fifty-four small and medium sized organizations was conducted to investigate the degree of IT usage in Brunei Darussalam. The study attempts to assess the depth and breadth of IT usage in business. The parameters such as organizational (size, sale or profitability and type of business) and chief executives (educational level and computer literacy, ownership of PC and computer experience) are studied. The study highlights how sales figures of the organizations; type of business and CEO computer literacy contributes toward the use of IT. None of the other variables were found to be significant.

Abstract: In two experiments conducted in India, PCs connected to the Internet were provided on the roadside and turned on without any instructions or announcement. In both instances it was seen that the acquisition of basic computing skills by groups of children was achieved through incidental learning and some minimal (human) guidance. This paper reports the observations and compares the two experiments, suggests steps to further the experiment and discusses the new pedagogy. It also suggests a methodology for replicating the experiment.

Abstract: The identification of teachers' information technology skills is a prerequisite for future professional development. This article reviews results of an Australian study involving 400 schools, which...

Abstract: A quantitative survey directed at all faculty at a California urban community college yielded data from 117 faculty about computer use, competency, and attitudes toward using computers. Correlation analysis, multiple regression, and Ordinary Least Squares regression were used to delineate the relationships between computer use and other variables and to develop a path analysis model depicting the relationship among attitude, courses taken, having a home computer, competency, and computer use. The researchers present their model along with data obtained from an open-ended qualitative survey administered to elucidate further the relationships among these variables. Based on their quantitative and qualitative findings, the authors make suggestions for future research to assist in faculty development efforts.

Abstract: The American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine conducted a membership survey in late 1998 to assess their activities, needs, and attitudes. A total of 9,466 members (20.9% response rate) reported on 198 items related to computer use and needs of internists. Eighty-two percent of the respondents reported that they use computers for personal or professional reasons. Physicians younger than 50 years old who had full- or part-time academic affiliation reported using computers more frequently for medical applications. About two thirds of respondents who had access to computers connected to the Internet at least weekly, with most using the Internet from home for e-mail and nonmedical uses. Physicians expressed concerns about Internet security, confidentiality, and accuracy, and the lack of time to browse the Internet. In practice settings, internists used computers for administrative and financial functions. Less than 19% of respondents had partial or complete electronic clinical functions in their offices. Less than 7% of respondents exchanged e-mail with their patients on a weekly or daily basis. Also, less than 15% of respondents used computers for continuing medical education (CME). Respondents reported they wanted to increase their general computer skills and enhance their knowledge of computer-based information sources for patient care, electronic medical record systems, computer-based CME, and telemedicine While most respondents used computers and connected to the Internet, few physicians utilized computers for clinical management. Medical organizations face the challenge of increasing physician use of clinical systems and electronic CME.

Abstract: A compendium of 14 previously-published instruments for assessing teachers' attitudes toward computers was administered to 621 educators in Texas, Florida, New York, and California during 1995-96. A total of 284 items extracted from 14 previously published instruments, and falling on 32 subscales, were included on the instrument titled the Teachers' Attitude Toward Computers Questionnaire (TAC). Since many of the subscales were a decade old, an initial question to be resolved was whether the scales, as originally, published were still reliable. This article focuses on that question. Positive teacher attitudes toward computers are widely recognized as a necessary condition for effective use of information technology in the classroom (Woodrow, 1992). At least 14 instruments with acceptable measurement properties have been reported in the literature over the past decade (Chu & Spires, 1991; D'Souza, 1992; Francis, 1993; Gardner, Discenza, & Dukes, 1993; Kay, 1993; Knezek & Miyashita, 1994; Loyd & Gressard, 1984; Pelgrum, Janssen Reinen & Plomp, 1993; Woodrow, 1991). This article contains a description of how well each instrument measures what it claims to assess. The question is addressed for three related groups, notably: (a) preservice teachers, (b) practicing K-12 teachers, and (c) teacher educators. INSTRUMENTATION The Teachers' Attitudes Toward Computers Questionnaire (TAC) was used for this research. It is a 10-part composite instrument including 284 items spanning 32 Likert and Semantic Differential subscales (Christensen & Knezek, 1996). The following 14 computer attitude questionnaires contributed to the TAC: Computer Attitude Scale (Gressard & Loyd, 1986) *confidence, liking, anxiety, and usefulness The Computer Use Questionnaire (Griswold, 1983) *awareness Attitudes Toward Computers Scale (Reece & Gable, 1982) *general attitudes toward computers The Computer Survey Scale (Stevens, 1982) *efficacy and anxiety Computer Anxiety Rating Scale (CARS) (Heinssen, Glass, & Knight, 1987) *technical capability, appeal of learning and using computers, being controlled by computers, learning computer skills, traits to overcome anxiety. ATC (Attitudes Toward Computers) (Raub, 1981) *computer usage, computer appreciation, societal impact CAIN (Computer Anxiety Index) (Maurer & Simonson, 1984) *examines avoidance of, negative attitudes toward, caution with, and disinterest in computers (anxiety and comfort) BELCAT (Blombert-Ericson-Lowery Computer Attitude Task) (Erickson, 1987) *attitudes toward learning about computers and towards computers them selves Attitude Toward Computer Scale (Francis, 1993) *affective domain Computer Attitude Measure (CAM) (Kay, 1993) *cognitive (student, personal, general), affective, behavioral (classroom and home), and perceived control components of computerattitudes Computer Attitude Questionnaire (CAQ) (Knezek & Miyashita, 1994) *computer importance, computer enjoyment, computer anxiety, computer seclusion Computer Attitude Items (Pelgrum, Janssen Reinen, & Plomp, 1993) *computer relevance, computer enjoyment Computer Attitudes Scale for Secondary Students (CASS) (Jones & Clarke, 1994) *cognitive, affective and behavioral attitudes E-Mail (D'Souza, 1992) *attitudes toward e-mail Subjects In Texas, Florida, New York, and California, 621 educators completed the TAC during 1995-96. Most were K-12 educators from seven school districts spanning the regions of North, South, East, and West Texas. Small samplings of K-12 educators from California and Florida were included in the group as well. University faculty from two universities in Texas and one from Florida also provided data for the study. Preservice educators from a university in the northern region of Texas and one in the southern region of Texas were also represented. …

Abstract: This study examined the equivalence of computer- and paper-based versions of an examination through score differences across the two test formats as well as students' attitudes toward and perceptions of computer-based examinations. Thirty senior dental hygiene students were randomly divided into two equal groups. One took the first examination on computer, while the second took it on paper. Later, the groups were switched for a second examination. In completing the computer version, each student was asked to complete a survey that examined his or her experience with as well as attitude and perceptions toward computer-based testing. Students using the computer performed as well as or better than those using paper; the increase in performance was significant for the first examination (p < 0.05). Student acceptance of the computer format was mixed, possibly varying with prior exposures to such formats. Benefits of the computer-based examination included reduction in time required for scoring and recording of grades, quicker student progression through the examinations afforded by the digitizing of the visuals, and ease of item analysis for both individual students and the group.

Abstract: This paper presents a study of the benefits and obstacles perceived by preservice teachers when considering the use of computer technology in social studies classes. We chose a purposive sample of education students who are in programs at technology rich institutions to begin exploring how emerging teachers would define the benefits and obstacles. We review existing research on teachers' attitudes toward technology, the barriers to technology use, and factors that facilitate technology integration. We then share our own findings, which include preservice teachers' perceptions of the benefits and potential downfalls of using technology. We identified five perceived benefits: data collection; improved student computer skills; dynamic sound and images; instructional variety; and communication tool Obstacles include: accessibility; differing ability levels; dependability; and supervision of students. A discussion of the juxtaposition of these benefits and obstacles, and the implications for teacher e...

Abstract: Recent studies have found short in-service teacher education programs are not providing adequate technology experiences to prepare their participants for teaching mathematics with computers. As an alternative to the short-term courses the author has been teaching a two-term mandatory undergraduate course within a mathematics teacher education program since 1995 to train student teachers and to investigate their perceptions on their preparation to use computers in their own teaching. This article describes issues that emerged from the analysis of this undergraduate course. Data were gathered through questionnaires and students' writings about the course activities. Findings indicated that computer literacy appeared to be an important key factor in utilising the course activities successfully. Students who felt prepared made the link between computer-based mathematical activities and school mathematics, and had more experience of using instructional software during the course than others. Findings of this n...

Abstract: Because it is widely accepted that providing information online will play a major role in both the teaching and practice of medicine in the near future, a short formal course of instruction in computer skills was proposed for the incoming class of students entering medical school at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The syllabus was developed on the basis of a set of expected outcomes, which was accepted by the dean of medicine and the curriculum committee for classes beginning in the fall of 1997. Prior to their arrival, students were asked to complete a self-assessment survey designed to elucidate their initial skill base; the returned surveys showed students to have computer skills ranging from complete novice to that of a systems engineer. The classes were taught during the first three weeks of the semester to groups of students separated on the basis of their knowledge of and comfort with computers. Areas covered included computer basics, e-mail management, MEDLINE, and Internet search tools. Each student received seven hours of hands-on training followed by a test. The syllabus and emphasis of the classes were tailored to the initial skill base but the final test was given at the same level to all students. Student participation, test scores, and course evaluations indicated that this noncredit program was successful in achieving an acceptable level of comfort in using a computer for almost all of the student body.

Abstract: Rapid change in information technology motivates a corresponding evolution in our definition of computer literacy. One recent movement is toward Fluency with Information Technology, a key-concepts approach to computer literacy that includes algorithmic thinking. Algorithmic thinking is used to describe one methodology for solving problems. We introduce Alice, a 3-dimensional animation tool. Alice is an emerging technology that provides a learning environment that may be helpful in developing algorithmic thinking. We present our instructional experience with Alice and demonstrate a possible use of Alice to support the development of algorithmic thinking.

Abstract: 27-28 March 2000 All universities and faculties face the problem of deciding what level of computer literacy students need to survive on their courses and to succeed in their later careers. The second issue is to find an effective way to deliver training to those who need it. The medical school will be implementing a new curriculum in October 2000. Following the merger with the Royal Free, we will have 320 first year students. Our new course will require a greater level of computer literacy - starting from the first term - and the challenge is to ensure that all students have the skills and confidence demanded by the course. This talk will describe the work we have done over the last three years to design, implement and evaluate an IT skills programme for new medical students. The presentation will focus on the three innovative features of the programme: (i) precourse evaluation of IT skills of all new students; (ii) targeting training to those whose skills fall below a predefined level; (iii) the use of peer tutors to facilitate the workshops. Findings will be presented from a randomised control trial we carried out to see whether this approach results in any measurable benefits.