An evaluation of preservice teachers? ethical usage of information technologies

This research has a significant importance to determine preservice teachers? views on ethical usage of information technologies and about ethical problems that arises with using information technologies in education.The study was conducted with 555 students who were fourth year students of 7 different teacher-training programs in Ege and Dokuz Eylül University Education Faculties in 2007-2008 academic year. Research data was gathered by means of a personal information form to identify specific personal characteristics and Unethical Computer Using Behavior Scale which was created by Namlu and Odabaşı. Specific personal characteristics of the preservice teachers were determined by personal information form in 15 questions and Unethical Computer Using Behavior Scale in 80 items under five factors including intellectual property, social impact, safety and quality, net integrity, information integrity used to determine preservice teachers? views on computer ethics. After factor analaysis, scale items decreased to 59 items.The SPSS 15 program was used to analyze the collected data. 9 sub problems were answered and frequency, percentaging, mean, standard deviation, independent samples t test, LSD test and correlational analysis were used.The result of the study showed that preservice teachers are sensitive about computer ethics in terms of intellectual property, social impact, safety and quality, net integrity, information integrity of items under five factors. Female students are more ethical than male students on computer ethics. Preservice teachers who have very good and good computer skill are more unethical comparing intermediate level ones. Intellectual Property and Safety and Quality factors are affected by the program studied. Views on computer ethics were not affected by income level of family, age, internet skills, having personal computer and foreign language level.