The effects of computer‐assisted instruction and locus of control upon preservice elementary teachers' acquisition of the integrated science process skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) versus a text mode of programmed instruction (PI), and the cognitive style of locus of control, on preservice elementary teachers' achievement of the integrated science process skills. Eighty-one preservice elementary teachers in six sections of a science methods class were classified as internally or externally controlled. The sections were randomly assigned to receive instruction in the integrated science process skills via a microcomputer or printed text. The study used a pretest-posttest control group design. Before assessing main and interaction effects, analysis of covariance was used to adjust posttest scores using the pretest scores. Statistical analysis revealed that main effects were not significant. Additionally, no interaction effects between treatments and loci of control were demonstrated. The results suggest that printed PI and tutorial CAI are equally effective modes of instruction for teaching internally and externally oriented preservice elementary teachers the integrated science process skills.

Cognitive style and Computer-Assisted Learning: problems and a possible solution

“…Clements and Gullo, 1984;Post, 1985) or on learners' comparative performance in CAL versus other non-computer-based modes of presenting material (e.g. Dahl, 1985;Wesley, 1984). There has been some research that has attempted to match style with an appropriate CAL presentation (e.g.…”

Preservice teachers' acquisition and retention of integrated science process skills: A comparison of teacher‐directed and self‐instructional strategies

“…These results differ from those of Jaus (1979, Riley (1979. Zeitler (1981), and Wesley, Krockover, and Devito (1985) who found no significant differences between the methods they used to teach process skills to preservice teachers. However, it is interesting to note that our results reinforce evidence reported by Jaus and Zeitler about the effectiveness of earlier versions of the process skill lessons used in our study.…”

Improving preservice chemistry teachers’ critical thinking and science process skills using research-oriented collaborative inquiry learning

“…The integrated process skills cover formulating hypotheses, defining operationally, experimenting, controlling variables, and interpreting data (American Association for the Advancement of Science -AAAS, 1967;Livermore, 1964). In laboratory activities, basic process skills are the foundation for more complex integrated process skills (Wesley, Krockover & Devito, 1985). In general, science process skills are conceptualized as general procedures that scientists usually use in every stage of their research to construct scientific knowledge and solve unstructured problems.…”

“…Previous research believed that SPS cannot be developed only by reading scientific literature (Livermore, 1964), instead, it can be effectively constructed through non-traditional teaching strategies (Wesley et al, 1985). The use of modern learning methods for SPS acquisition has a positive impact on the improvement of students' formal thinking abilities and academic achievement (Padilla, Okey & Dillashaw, 1983;Aka et al, 2010).…”