Gender and computer use : another area of inequity?

Data from the Computers in Education project (Comped) are used to study the state of the art with respect to gender and computer use in a number of countries. The Comped project of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), which was conducted in about 20 countries in 1989, involved over 70,000 students in 10 countries in 1992. A Functional Information Technology Test was given to students in the Comped study. Results indicate that the gender equity concerns of many educators, who fear computer use causes or preserves differences between male and female students, are well founded. Females know less about information technology, enjoy using computers less, and perceive more software problems than males. Sex of students is a factor with substantial influence on student achievement internationally. Possible causes for the differences and what might be done about them are outlined. One table and five figures illustrate the analyses. (Contains 10 references.) (SLD)