LEARNING ABOUT OWLS AND THEIR CONSERVATION – A COMPARISON OF MEDIA-ASSISTED INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS
Title | LEARNING ABOUT OWLS AND THEIR CONSERVATION – A COMPARISON OF MEDIA-ASSISTED INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2007 |
Authors | Schaal, S, Randler, C, Krall, S |
Journal | Problems of Education in the 21st Century |
Volume | 1 |
Start Page | 95-105 |
Date Published | August/2007 |
Type of Article | Original article |
ISSN | 1822-7864 |
Other Numbers | ICID: 498769 |
Keywords | computer-supported learning, ecology education, intrinsic motivation |
Abstract | In this study, two short-term educational treatments for secondary school dealing with ecology and conservation of European owl species were compared under realistic field-conditions. Both motivating learning environments, a play-like activity (quartet) and a hypermedia website tool for two lessons (90 min), are known to provide a strong “Hawthorne effect”, which might useful for achievement in a short-term learning unit in Science Education. Information units were similar, only the structure of presentation differed within both treatments. Objectives of the study were (i) a comparison of both teaching methods concerning the cognitive learning outcome and (ii) motivational variables in a pre-/ post- and retention-test design with control group. Pupils were randomly assigned one treatment (Hypermedia: N = 34, quartet: N = 30, control: N = 28). As result of multivariate statistics, a significant higher achievement in the computer-aided group was assessed immediately after the lesson, while the retention test did not produce significant differences between the treatments. Pupils performed significantly better in the retention-test compared to the post-test, which might be due to a short teaching sequence of ten minutes after the post-test. The motivational variables measured with the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (Ryan, Connell & Plant, 1990) didn’t show any difference between the two treatments, suggesting that both treatments are motivating and that the Hawthorne effect might be similar. Pooling both experimental groups, a significant positive relationship between interest/enjoyment and post-test scores and between effort and retention and a negative correlation between retention test and the perceived pressure can be reported. |
URL | http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1392218464.pdf |
Refereed Designation | Refereed |
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