This study tested the effects of introducing lab activities with a computerized simulator on undergraduate Psychology students' School Attendance and self-perceived Interest, Comprehension of curriculum materiaIs, and Peer Cooperation. Sex effects were also examined in the 18 female and 5 male students that participated. As predicted, all variables presented a mean increase as a function of simulator use. There was also a significant interaction between Sex and Simulator on Attendance, suggesting that male students benefited better than their female counterparts from the new pedagogical tool. The female students, on the other hand, showed higher indices of Attendance and Cooperation than the male students, regardless of curriculum materiaIs. These results are discussed in terms of undergraduate teaching/learning and sex-role stereotypes.
undergraduate teaching; informatization of education; sex roles
