The study of students' computer knowledge in the Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

Today's world is facing daily with advances in technology. Computer is one of the most important displays of such development. Nowadays, computers play a vital role in business, technical activities, and general fields of activity and the use of it has turned into an essential skill. The meaning of computer knowledge is the ability of a person to use a computer to get their required information for professional or general purposes. Just as literacy plays an important role in the individual and social life of people, computer knowledge is also unavoidable for students and computers are considered a change in the way of teaching. The purpose of this research was to study the level of students' computer knowledge of students and to aid in educational planning. This descriptive - analytic research carried out on 300 students in Shahrekord university of Medical Sciences. Data gathered using standard valid - questionnaires containing demographic data of the students, and questions about passing a training course and their inclination on passing a course in the future. The gathered data was processed analyzed by SPSS13, descriptive parameters, Chi-square test, independent t-test and ANOVA. Sixty five percent of the students were female and 35% were male. Sixty percent of them had a personal computer. Most of their usage was to search the internet for information, searching for information through Medline and computer games; while the least usage was for programming, using Excel, using statistical software, and chatting online. 57.7% had passed a computer training course. The biggest students' interest was to take part in classes for advanced searching and using Microsoft Office Word. The most computer knowledge belonged to the students of medicine and the least, to the family health students. This, of course, was directly related to owning a private computer. Computer knowledge was greater among native and daily students. This also was directly related to owning a private computer. There was not a significant difference between female and male student's computer knowledge. A significant difference between female and male didn't observe in having a passed computer course, possessing a private computer and computer knowledge score, whereas there was a significant difference between native and non-native students. The findings of this research indicates that the assessment and analysis of computer knowledge of students can determine the type and the content of the courses chosen for them, which is in turn essential for the improvement of their skill and knowledge of computer. Planning and putting an IT course is essential in the student's educational curriculum with emphasis on how to search for scientific sources in the internet. [Mobasheri M, Sharifi A. The study of students' computer knowledge in the Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):5511-5516] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 817