Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Douglas Harvey
Committee Member
Michael Simonson
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
achievement, automaticity, basic math facts, cognitive activities, combining methods, competitive grouping, computer assisted instruction, computer-based instruction, cooperative grouping, drill and practice, drills [practice], effectiveness, grouping methods, individual instruction, individualized instructional activity, instructional goals, instructional innovation, instructional technology, learning tasks, mathematics achievement, mathematics instruction, research studies, software, student grouping techniques
Abstract
This paper examined a research topic that has emerged from contradictory results of studies in the area of the effectiveness of drill-and-practice activities and the absence of research on the effectiveness of combining various grouping methods in computer-based instruction. Although drill-and-practice software and automaticity of basic skills have been studied in the classroom for many years, the research is inconsistent. Some of the more recent research suggested that drill and practice computer-based instruction should be abandoned for higher-level cognitive computer-based activities. Also, the striking deficiency of research investigating combinations of individual, competitive, and cooperative groupings with computer-based instruction provides an opportunity to advance the field of instructional technology in the areas of design and implementation.
This research examined indications of the effectiveness of drill and practice computer-based instruction toward automaticity of basic math facts when used in conjunction with various combinations of individual, competitive, and cooperative grouping activities. The study revealed a relationship between individualized instructional activity and automaticity. Based on the findings of this study, an eclectic approach that attempts to combine the grouping techniques at the lower levels of learning may not be the most effective method for some specific instructional goals. This implicates a possible relationship between the hierarchal level of the learning task and the effectiveness of using individualized or grouping methods.