The purpose of this study was to: (1) ascertain how an activity/child centered approach, in conjunction with student use of manipulatives, affected the mathematics achievement of first and second graders in a rural school setting; and (2) to investigate teacher perception of the success of the specific methodology implemented in the study. The population for this study included the teachers and students in a rural Arizona K-3 elementary school. The study was longitudinal in nature and covered a two year period. The groups used during the first year of the study were first and second graders. The groups for the second year of the study were second and third graders. The K-6 teachers in the district were given an attitude questionnaire constructed to indicate teacher attitude toward worth of the program and various aspects of its implementation. Teacher mathematics lesson descriptions and perceived advantages and disadvantages of the program were also included in the attitude questionnaire. The teacher attitude questionnaires were analyzed in five parts and the findings were represented on charts. Some of the results were determined by a simple tally method and others were converted into percentages. Lesson observations were conducted in each of the six classrooms studied and the results were reported on charts. Achievement for treatment and nontreatment groups was measured by; pre- and post-testing with the Wide Range Achievement Test. T-tests were used to compare student results on the pre- and post-tests each year. In addition, a t-test comparison was made between the first year and second year with Iowa Test of Basic Skills test results. Finally, a one-way analysis of variance was done on the group receiving treatment for only one year, two years, and the non-treatment group. The combined results of the teacher attitude questions, lesson observations and achievement tests were used to make recommendations for program improvements.

For my creative thesis project I authored an interactive tour of the Ball State Department of Art. Many underlying factors go into this project. My desire to learn multimedia design, the departments desire to develop a new information tool and having the necessary hardware and software to do such a project were all key to its sucess.In the summer of 1994 I came to Ball State to learn multimedia authoring while getting a master's degree in art. Unknown to me at that time, the department had set a goal of increasing visibility both within and beyond the Ball State community. Faculty members Professor Phil Repp and Professor Christine Paul were collaborating on a promotional identity campaign. From these collaborations grew the idea of a departmental publication to promote the mission and programs of the Department of Art. With the rapid advancement of technology, it seemed appropriate to use computers as part of this promotional campaign.As Professors Paul and Repp researched the possible ways in which computers could be incorporated into this project, many questions remained. Exactly what form should a project like this take and who could do it? Careful discussion and planning also followed over what physical form the project should take (i.e. video tape, a computer disk, or printed material). Eventually the decision was made that an interactive tour of the Department of Art on CD-ROM was the most appropriate solution. For the amount of information that needed to be included and to engage the end user in a dynamic, interactive way, this medium was also the most logical.My decision to return to school coincides perfectly with the departments needs. Professor Paul’s and Professor Repp’s collaboration led to the conclusion that a third person would be needed. Someone who was already literate in advanced computer graphics and had the desire for such an undertaking. Therefore, my goals of advancing my understanding of Macintosh based digital imagery learning multimedia are significant on two levels; my career as a teacher and a professional artist would realize significant gains and this project is an outstanding addition to my portfolio.For the past several years, the primary area of artistic study for me has been in the area of computer graphics and I came to Ball State last summer with some very specific goals. One of them being to learn Macromedia Director (the authoring package I used to create the project). Director is nationally recognized by professionals in this field as the top program for this type of work. Therefore, this was both an opportunity to reach personal goals and to create a thesis project that could be used as an important part of the Department of Arts identity campaign. My thesis project is the result of my own goals and the Department of Arts goals to utilize cutting edge technology for designing innovative computer programs.I’m sure at the onset of this project that I did not understand the full magnitude of an undertaking such as this. However, it is very rewarding to look back and see both how far I’ve come personally and how the piece has progressed into a dynamic information tool. / Department of Art

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

It is the purpose of this study to determine if there are any ways and means by which television may be used effectively as an instructional aid in programs of education, and special attention will be given to ways and means of using television in the teaching of industrial arts.

It is the purpose of this study to compare the effectiveness of the film method with the pupil-teacher discussion method for summarizing certain food units.

The problem of this study was to determine the effects of videotape feedback upon teachers' classroom verbal and nonverbal behavior, objectives, methods, and expressed attitudes about teaching.

Two teachers with two classes each participated in the research, which used a modified Campbell and Stanley equivalent time series design. Each class was randomly assigned four of eight filmstrips. Both experimental and control classes heard lectures on a module, the experimental group viewed the filmstrip, and both were posttested. Independent variables controlling for student differences, module difficulty, student attitudes, and the critical independent variable, viewing of the filmstrip (View), were regressed on student cognition. In the analysis, significant at the .001 level, View exerted a significant positive influence on cognition scores. No relation was discovered between student attitudes toward filmstrips and increased cognition.

The purpose of this problem was to select audio-visual materials that would enhance the teaching of music in the primary grades. Since audio-visual equipment and materials have gained a place of prominence in the modern education program, the teachers, administrators, and even the architects need to be cognizant of their possibilities and applications. Audio-visual aids should be investigated to disclose ways of improving their utilization in the learning process through the stimulation of the following human senses: sight, hearing, and touch. The results of many experimental research studies in the field of audio-visual education have proved that the application of audio-visual devices in the classroom greatly improves both understanding and retention as compared to conventional teaching methods. It is hoped that the identification, enumeration, and suggestions for utilization of audio-visual aids presented in this study will motivate the reader to give further attention to audio-visual materials as applied to his specific situation, with the awareness of their unlimited possibilities in increasing understandings through sensory experiences.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a technology-enhanced unit on slope in algebra. The technology used in the study was the Topological Panorama Camera (Topocam). The research questions explored the learning and transfer of knowledge about slope and the engagement level of students during Topocam learning activities. The Topocam is a computer-controlled camera that moves on a modular track while it scans a scene through a vertical slit. Students can program the speed of the camera and frequency of pictures. They then witness the results of time and motion in the image created by the camera. Data for this study were collected from a pretest/posttest, as well as from observations of indicators of engaged learning. The research population consisted of 46 students from three classes of Algebra I students. Three classroom teachers each taught a unit on slope, while a fourth teacher conducted the activities with the Topocam for all the classes. The classroom activities focused on the concept of slope as a rate of change utilizing coordinate grids. The Topocam activities involved students in collaboratively making and testing predictions about slope. The findings of the study indicate that student learning did occur with this technology-enhanced unit on slope in algebra. Students showed statistically significant improvement in understanding slope and in transferring that concept to other situations. Since technology was only part of the unit presentation, the amount of learning attributed to the Topocam activities cannot be determined. However, students demonstrated a high degree of engagement in learning while working with the Topocam which suggests that the activities were a factor. A low correlation between students’ slope unit test scores and previous algebra performance may indicate that students who have not been successful in algebra were more successful in the technology-enhanced unit. Some variation was found between classes that could be attributed to other factors than the Topocam.