The effect of computer literacy to mathematical literacy in students of second grade primary education

This study is performed among 6th, 7th and 8th grade students of private schools, central schools, county and country schools. In this study, the mathematical and computer literacy levels of students, the effect of computer literacy to mathematical literacy and the relation between them were investigated. Furthermore, the opinions of students about this subject were investigated. The sample of the study consists of randomly chosen 6th, 7th and 8th grade students from the central and county public schools of Elazığ, which affiliated to ministry of education of Turkey, in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 semesters. The number of students from private schools, central schools, county and country schools, who participated in the study was 433. Mixed method approach is utilized in this study, since both quantitative and qualitative data appear in it. In the study, mathematical and computer literacy scales were applied to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. The results were analyzed and structured interviews were applied to three students from different schools for each grade, who were chosen by their teachers. As a rule, one of these students had high grades, one of them had mid grades and one of them had poor grades. In the interviews, the opinions of each student in every school were noted. In the study, it was intended to determine the level of mathematical and computer literacy of the students and to see the effects of computer literacy on the mathematical literacy. In order to observe the relation between the computer and mathematical literacy, a likert type mathematical and computer literacy scale, which consist of 15 items, was prepared based on the opinions of three education experts. The utilized computer literacy scale in the study was developed by the researcher by benefiting from the computer scale of Kılınç and Salman (2006). Likewise, the mathematical literacy scale was developed by the researcher by benefiting from the draft self-efficacy scale form in Özdek and Bindak's (2008) work. The pilot practice of the scale was applied to 117 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in a central school and 93 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in a private school. In total the scale is applied to 210 students. In order to determine the suitability of the gathered data for the factor analysis, KMO (Kaiser Meyer Olkin) and Bartlett tests were applied to students. After determining the suitability of the KMO and Bartlett test results, a factor analysis were performed in order to determine the factor structure of the scale. Depending on the factor analysis, the items which have the least factor load values have been removed from the scales. By this way, likert type computer and mathematical literacy scales, which consist of 15 items, were obtained. These scales were applied to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in central, private, county and country schools. The Pearson correlation values were investigated which depend on the descriptive statistical values of the obtained data, the Anova results showing whether there is a relation between the computer and mathematical literacy among the schools and whether there is a meaningful difference between the computer and mathematical literacy. According to the obtained data, the level of computer and mathematical literacy is higher in central and public schools when compared with the county and country schools. In total a positive intermediate relation between the mathematical and computer literacy levels of the students. The students with whom interviews were made, expressed positive opinions about the computer and mathematical literacy and the relation between them. Therefore, they stated that the computer literacy has a positive effect and an improvement factor on the mathematical literacy level. Keywords: Computer Literacy, Literacy, Mathematical Education, Mathematical Literacy