Publication Date

9-1979

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

James Koper, Eugene Harryman

Degree Program

School of Teacher Education

Degree Type

Education Specialist

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to compare the mean achievement of students in a Quantitative Physical Science class in which the members were allowed to select their own partners with students in a Quantitative Physical Science class in which partners were assigned on the basis of high-low test scores and to compare mean achievement of students in a Quantitative Physical Science class that used audio-visual material with the mean achievement of students in a Quantitative Physical Science class that used no audio-visual material.

The population consisted of sixty-eight ninth grade boys and girls enrolled in Quantitative Physical Science classes in Daviess County High School during the 1975-1976 school year.

The participants were the researcher's three Quantitative Physical Science classes. They were intact groups, but the treatments were randomly placed.

All three groups were tested to determine intelligence levels, science achievement, and initial level of interest.

The control group was assigned partners and used no audio-visual materials. The selected diad group selected partners and used no audio-visual materials. The audiovisual group used audio-visual materials and were assigned partners.

The three groups were taught the same material for the same amount of time.

The Read General Science Test was administered as the pretest to determine initial level of achievement. The Read General Science Test also served as the posttest.

The Kuder-Interest Test was administered to determine interest level.

The Otis-Lennon was used to test for intelligence levels.

After controlling for the covariates, interest, intelligence, and initial level of achievement, no significant difference between the means on the Read where partners were assigned compared to a class where partners were selected was found.

After controlling the covariates, interest, intelligence and initial level of achievement for the audiovisual material group several conflicts arose as suggested by the empirical data. When the audio-visual group's pretest and posttest means were compared, there was no significant difference. When the posttest mean of the audiovisual group was compared to posttest mean of the control it was found that there was a significant difference and that perhaps audio-visual materials had a negative effect. Also, when mean gain of audio-visual group was compared to mean gain of control, it was found that control made the greater gain.

In conclusion, the researcher concludes that method of partner selection has no effect upon mean achievement and that the effect of audio-visual material effect upon mean achievement is inconclusive.

Disciplines

Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Methods | Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching | Science and Mathematics Education | Secondary Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development

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