CCE Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

1991

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Science

Department

Center for Computer and Information Sciences

Advisor

Marlyn Kemper Littman

Committee Member

Gerorge K. Fornshell

Committee Member

Patricia B Kistemacher

Abstract

In 1990, the New York State Education Department presented a syllabus that required the teaching of curriculum-oriented library skills and suggested the use of computers to be integrated with the teaching of these skills whenever possible. Schools in New York State are now trying to implement the suggestions in the syllabus. Many authors of educational articles have written at length concerning the incorporation of computer-assisted instruction (CAl) into the classroom, but clear directions have not been provided in the literature for the design or implementation of the necessary software.

The purpose of this study was to design a program based on a CAl model to be used for teaching secondary school students introductory library skills. The skills were integrated with the educational curriculum. The CAl design was based on the instructional technology of Gagne and Merrill; and it was implemented in the code of a specific introductory library lesson.

The program was statistically evaluated using three matched groups of ninth grade students at Lindenhurst Senior High School in Lindenhurst, New York. The total number of participants was 105 with 35 students in each instructional group: CAl, traditional, and control. The statistical tests used were analysis of covariance and t-tests based on the results of the analysis of covariance. The design developed in this study for educational software based on current learning theory was shown to be as educationally effective as teacher-centered instruction. Results demonstrated that implementation will facilitate efficient use of educational time and money in the secondary school environment.

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