Date of Award

1-1-1986

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Business and Vocational Education

Abstract

This study was designed to identify and compare microcomputer uses (for example: generating form letters, doing amortizations, and creating graphics) employed by North Dakota's businesses and taught in North Dakota's secondary business education programs.Two questionnaires, consisting of 46 microcomputer applications (uses), were developed using studies, professional articles, and input from area professionals. One questionnaire was sent to all 278 North Dakota schools having secondary business education programs, and the other to 1,000 randomly selected North Dakota businesses. Education respondents were asked to identify which applications they taught and the amount of time (emphasis) placed on teaching each. Business respondents were asked to identify the applications utilized in their businesses and the amount of time (emphasis) spent on each.Educators returned 185 usable returns and business people returned 573 usable returns. The data was entered into a computer and analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis One-Way ANOVA, the Friedman Two-Way ANOVA, and Crosstabs. Three null hypotheses were tested in order to determine if significant differences existed between the 46 microcomputer applications when type of class, type of business, and secondary business education programs and businesses were used as independent variables.In secondary business education programs, microcomputer applications were given the most emphasis in word and data processing courses. Thirty-one of the 46 microcomputer uses showed a significant difference at the .05 level.Retail businesses gave "accounting aids" (accounting applications) and "analysis aids" (analysis applications) the most emphasis. Service businesses emphasized "writing aids" more than other types of businesses did. Thirty-one of the 46 microcomputer uses showed no significant difference at the .05 level when type of business was used as an independent variable.When schools and businesses were used as independent variables, 26 of the 46 microcomputer applications showed no significant difference at the .05 level. "Analysis aids" were used more by businesses and "Learning Aids" more by schools.About half of the business persons using microcomputers were satisfied with the microcomputer skill levels of recently hired secondary business education graduates.

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