Technology Mastery Scale: Validation Across Age and Gender
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Madera, Marianna
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This study assesses the Technology Mastery (TM) scale, which is designed to subjectively measure technology proficiency and aims to closely align with objective skills. Microsoft Excel was chosen as the first test case because it is commonly used but difficult to master, making it ideal for evaluating the scale’s effectiveness. Despite the scales high internal reliability and construct validity, the findings indicate a weak correlation between the scale’s scores and actual Excel proficiency, further highlighting the difficulty of creating subjective assessments capable of accurately reflecting true technological mastery. Further analysis revealed that participants often underestimated their Excel skills, with this trend more pronounced among women, yet there was a shared understanding of what average Excel users can and cannot do. The primary limitation of the study was the lack of participation from advanced and expert Excel users, which might have influenced the results. This study’s initial test of the TM scale highlights the complexities in measuring technology mastery and points to the need for further validation across various technologies and user skill levels. In order to improve predictive accuracy and relevance, future revisions of the TM scale should heavily incorporate perspectives from verified technology experts.
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Undergraduate Research Option Thesis