1. Hacettepe University Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G. COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION OF COMPUTER AND INTERNET USAGE OF PISA BALKAN COUNTRIES 2010

2. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  In an era, where technology develops rapidly and takes its place in every day life, individuals are also expected to develop their ICT usage skills.  On the other hand, despite technology access and cost have become more compatible for larger target populations than before; there is still a noticeable inequality between different countries in the usage of ICT because of infrastructure, access, country policy, education level etc.  Circumstances such as the policy of the country, education level of the country, financial potential etc. can influence technology usage skills, purposes and attitude toward technology of individuals in that country.

3. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Globalization process brought along the necessity for all countries to form a common basis to evaluate both themselves and also to evaluate other countries.  Thus, on the one hand international students assessment exams shed light on the countries’ own educational systems, while on the other hand these exams formed a reference point.  PISA, TIMMS and PEARLS are the examples of some international assessment exams.

4. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Being one of these exams, The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an internationally standardized assessment that was mutually developed by participating countries and administered to 15-year-olds in schools.  PISA assesses how far students near the end of compulsory education have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in society (OECD, 2006).  PISA, is a project that provides countries to assess their own educational system and to follow annually students’ important knowledge and skills needed in adult life, in the domains of reading, mathematical and scientific literacy.

5. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Furthermore, PISA is not only limited to assessing proficiency which students gain in schools; but also it provides students to express their own ideas regarding their learning motivations, their learning strategies, their interests and their proficiencies (MEB, 2005).  PISA executes its surveys in three yearly cycles and for each cycle one of the domains of reading, mathematical and scientific literacy are focused on more than others.  In addition PISA collects data about characteristics of students, parents and school (Aşkar and Olkun, 2005).

6. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  One data category which is collected from students is about ICT usage.  ICT is playing a central role in the development of modern economies and societies which have profound implications for education, since it can facilitate new forms of learning and because it has become important for young people to master ICT in preparation for adult life (OECD, 2003).  So it can be suggested that PISA data about ICT usage is essential to determine the extent to which people are exposed to and making use of such technology and whether those who do so are achieving desirable learning outcomes (OECD, 2003).

7. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  In this millennium, education is important in all over the world, it is crucial to be made mandatory both for fostering co-operation, mutual understanding, and reconciliation and for a constructive approach to unresolved problems on the basis of a shared interest in the progress and development of Balkan countries, which lay over a region that has been racked by strife and is still marked by conflict.

8. Introduction Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  From this point on, this study aimed to examine whether five Balkan countries, namely Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey, participated in PISA differ in terms of; 1. Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks, 2.Confidence in Internet ICT tasks, 3.ICT Internet/entertainment use and 4.ICT program/software use

9. METHOD Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  This study used the data which was obtained from Computer Usage Section of Student Survey (CUS-SS) executed by PISA-2006.  Five Balkan countries, participated in CUS-SS, were examined in terms of their self confidence about their computer related works and differences of these countries in terms of various computer usage.  This is a descriptive study which aims to compare existing situation of five Balkan countries.

10. Study Group Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  PISA 2006 was executed on more than 400,000 15-year-old students in 57 participating countries.  In this study, data was obtained from 24243 students of five Balkan countries  Bulgaria  Greece  Serbia  Slovenia  Turkey that are participated in PISA and took CUS-SS (OECD, 2007).

11. Variables Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Some of the participants of the survey of PISA were grouped and indexes were obtained as Z value. Questions were grouped to construct the indexes which were determined based on previous literature and related theoretical framework.  Index values ranged from -3 to +3. As indexes increased, mean scores exceeds the OECD mean and as indexes decreased, mean scores remain below the OECD means (OECD, 2007).

12. Variables Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Five Balkan countries were determined to be the independent variables of this study. Dependent variables on the other hand were;  Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks (HIGHCONF);  Confidence in Internet ICT tasks (INTCONF);  ICT Internet/entertainment use (INTUSE);  ICT program/software use (PRGUSE).

13. Data Analysis Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Variance analysis was executed to examine whether there was a significant differences between countries. Homogeneity of the countries’ variance for each of the dependent variables is tested with Levene test (Tabachnick and Fidell, 2007).  For each of the four dependent variables, no homogeneity was found for the variances. Therefore, because the homogeneity of variances assumption was not met Tamhane’s test was used for paired comparisons after variance analysis.

14. FINDINGS Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES" NMeansd Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks (HIGHCONF) Bulgaria 4096-,21,96 Greece 4721-,271,00 Serbia 4633-,211,04 Slovenia 6289,12,94 Turkey 4492-,261,11 Total 24231-,151,02 Confidence in Internet ICT tasks (INTCONF) Bulgaria 4104-,081,09 Greece 4722-,651,05 Serbia 4629-,841,30 Slovenia 6292,08,95 Turkey 4496-,591,17 Total 24243-,391,16

15. FINDINGS Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES" ICT Internet/entertainment use (INTUSE) Bulgaria 4099,561,18 Greece 4720-,131,03 Serbia 4642-,301,17 Slovenia 6273,331,06 Turkey 4505-,041,12 Total 24239,091,15 ICT program/software use (PRGUSE) Bulgaria 4091,431,15 Greece 4717,301,15 Serbia 4641,101,12 Slovenia 6272,30,99 Turkey 4499,411,23 Total 24220,301,13 NMeansd

16. Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks (HIGHCONF) Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  While mean score of Slovenia is relatively higher than other countries; other four countries’ means are relatively close.  Mean score of Slovenia was positive while other countries’ mean score were negative. These results showed that, Slovenia took place the above OECD mean score, while other four countries took place below. 0,12

17. Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks (HIGHCONF) Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES" Source of VariationsdFp Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks (HIGHCONF) 4149,212,000 24226 According to Tamhane’s test results in terms of countries’ mean score in “ Self-Confidence in high-level ICT tasks (HIGHCONF) index, mean score of;  Slovenia were significantly high (p<0.05) from Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Turkey students’ score.  Except Slovenia other four Balkan countries’ HIGHCONF mean scores did not differed significantly.,000

18. Confidence in Internet ICT tasks (INTCONF)” Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Slovenia has the highest mean score and is followed by Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. Serbia was found to have the lowest mean score in INTCONF.  Again Slovenia’s mean score had the positive value while other countries’ mean score had negative values. This finding showed that, Slovenia’s mean score took place the above OECD mean score, while other four countries’ took place below 0,08

19. Confidence in Internet ICT tasks (INTCONF)” Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES" Source of VariationsdFp Confidence in Internet ICT tasks (INTCONF) 4658,397,000 24238 According to Tamhane’s test results in terms of countries’ mean score in “Confidence in Internet ICT tasks (INTCONF)” index, mean score of  Slovenia is significantly higher than other four countries  Bulgaria is significantly higher than Greece, Serbia and Turkey  Turkey was found to be significantly higher than Greece and Serbia;  Greece’s mean score was found to be being significantly higher than Serbia (p<0.05).,000

20. ICT Internet/entertainment use (INTUSE)” Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Bulgaria has the highest mean score in INTUSE and is followed by Slovenia, Turkey and Greece. Serbia was found to being the country that has the lowest mean score in INTUSE.  Bulgaria’s and Slovenia’s mean score have the positive value while other countries’ mean score have negative value. This finding showed that, Bulgaria and Slovenia’s mean score took place the above OECD mean score, while other three countries’ took place below. 0,56

21. Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES" Source of VariationsdFp ICT Internet/entertainment use (INTUSE) 4461,882,000 24234 ICT Internet/entertainment use (INTUSE)” According to Tamhane’s test results in terms of countries’ mean score in “ICT Internet/entertainment use (INTUSE)” index, mean score of  Bulgaria is significantly higher than other four countries  Slovenia is significantly higher than Greece, Serbia and Turkey  Turkey was found to be significantly higher than Greece and Serbia;  Greece’s mean score was found to be being significantly higher than Serbia (p<0.05).,000

22. “ICT program/software use (PRGUSE)” Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Bulgaria and Turkey have the highest mean score in PRGUSE and these countries were followed by Slovenia and Greece. Serbia was found to being the country that has the lowest mean score in PRGUSE.  All of the five countries’ mean score of PRGUSE indexes were positive. This finding showed that, students of Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Greece and Serbia are above the OECD mean score in terms of ICT program/software use. 0,430,40

23. Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES" Source of VariationsdFp ICT program/software use (PRGUSE) 460,147,000 24215 “ICT program/software use (PRGUSE)” According to Tamhane’s test results in terms of countries’ mean score in “ICT program/software use (PRGUSE)” index, mean scores of  Turkey and Bulgaria are significantly higher than Slovenia, Greece and Serbia  There are no significant differences between Bulgaria and Turkey  Slovenia and Greece were found to be significantly higher than Serbia  No significant differences were found between Slovenia and Greece (p<0.05).,000

24. Conclusion Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  This study showed the differences of Balkan countries, Slovenia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, in terms of self-confidence in high-level ICT tasks, confidence in Internet ICT tasks, ICT Internet/entertainment use and ICT program/software use.  While Slovenia was found to have the highest mean score for the self- confidence in high-level ICT tasks and confidence in Internet ICT tasks, Bulgaria had the highest mean score in ICT Internet/entertainment use and ICT program/software use.  In addition, Serbia was found to have the lowest mean score for all of the ICT usages.

25. Conclusion Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  Slovenia was the only country which took place above the OECD average for all of the ICT usages, Bulgaria took place above the OECD average for ICT Internet/entertainment use and ICT program/software use.  Lastly “ICT program/software use” was the only category which all of the five countries took place above the OECD average.

26. Conclusion Usluel, Y. K., Kelecioğlu, H. & Mazman, S.G., 13th International Conference "ICT IN THE EDUCATION OF THE BALKAN COUNTRIES"  This study has stated the current situation of five Balkan countries in ICT usage.  In the light of foregoing results, these countries could be aware of their deficiencies and superiorities.  They could attempt to improve some of the important points regarding the country as;  ICT infrastructure,  ICT facilities, ICT education,  ICT support and diffusion of ICT in public use.  In addition they could reorganize their technology policy and education policies.

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