examining the effectiveness of CAI for elevating the achievement levels of fifth grade students.
The purpose of this paper is to provide context for the study through an examination of the current (1989-present) research as it relates to the facilitation of fifth grade elementary school student achievement through computer assisted instruction. In addition to examining research on the CAI/student achievement relationship, the review will also examine studies which address how additional factors (e.g. self-concept, personality, nature of feedback, etc.) can affect this relationship.
The existing research is highly supportive of the notion that CAI facilitates students' match achievement levels. This can be seen in a study conducted as part of the Flexible Learning Environment project at the University School of Nova University in Florida.
In the study Viteli (1989) attempted to determine if there was a difference in learning to solve mathematics word problems between groups using computer assisted instruction and groups taught by teachers. Subjects were fifth-grade students (N=31) who were divided into four groups (two teacher-taught groups and two computer-taught groups) for the four-week experiment, in which instruction in word problems was given every day.
Students in all groups were pretested for math achievement and then posttested following the experiment. An independent t-test found that the difference between the pretest means was not significant. In other words, all of the students began the study equated for level of math achievement.
An independent t-test was then used to compare the posttest match achievement means of the two student groups (teacher taught versus computer taught). The findings of this analysis revealed that the difference between the post-test means was not significant. In other words, the students learned as well from computers as they did from actual teachers. Based on this find...