Thesis (Ph. D. (Educational Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

With the development of using tablet computers in the classrooms, it is raised concern in education how to enhance the effectiveness of using tablet computers in teaching and learning. In this study, it provides a significant framework included four main obstacles of using tablet computers as a learning tool related to schools, teachers, students and parents that are studied with grounded theory. The purpose of this study is to understand the obstacles of using tablet computers as a learning tool and provide some recommendations according to teachers’ perception of teaching and students’ engagement of learning that occurs as a result of using tablet computers in primary schools. From the results of comparing students’ using tablet computers between schools and homes, the perception of teachers, students and parents’ on using tablet computers as a learning tool, the study found that there is a lot to develop and improve the tablet computers for primary school students to use as a learning tool. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

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The multimedia computer is a relatively new product that is capable of presenting information through a variety of media such as text, animation, video & sound. Commercial developers, researchers and other multimedia advocates have been making claims about the potential for multimedia in promoting learning and, consequently, its beneficial uses as a learning tool within the classroom. This study investigates the conditions under which the organization and coordination of multimedia sources promotes the acquisition of knowledge. Based upon a review of the literature, five hypotheses are generated with respect to the development of instructional software as an effective learning tool. These hypotheses are then tested in a study that looks at the effects of various multimedia designs. One hundred students, half of high-ability (i.e., high-stream) and the other half of average ability (i.e., regular stream), were assigned to one of five multimedia conditions (e.g., text only (T); text with animation (TA); text with animations and captions (TAC); animations and captions (AC); refined animation and captions (RAC)). The instructional material presented information on how to find South using two sticks, some string and the Sun. The TAC and RAC groups outperformed the other three groups on scores of verbal recall, visual recall, and enactment of the main procedures. These two groups also obtained higher scores on detailed analyses of written recalls. Finally, interaction effects for stream level and computer presentation group were also obtained. The results from this study are contrasted to those of an earlier study by Breuleux et al. (1993). The implications of these results are discussed in terms of statistical support for theoretically based guidelines for the development and design of effective instructional multimedia.

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No description available.

This study examined the effects of three computer-assisted cuing programs on the observational learning of a Tai Chi action sequence by thirty-one novice adult learners. Digital video demonstrations with visual cues, verbal cues, and both visual and verbal cues as well as no cues were presented. On the first and fifth trial participants completed a cognitive resequencing task, and on each of five learning trials attempted to physically perform the sequence. A retention test was also administered. The Pictorial Cognitive Resequencing Task results were somewhat equivocal as some of the treatment programs facilitated enhanced performance but participants in the "control" group also improved their performance. Physical performance as measured by the Technical Action Score and the Flow Action Score showed that the "visual and verbal treatment" group significantly improved performance in comparison to the "control" group. Based on the results and post-test interviews suggestions for future research were presented.

This study proposed to answer research questions about the efficacy of using computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to augment kindergarten emergent reading skills. Five assessment instruments were used to measure kindergarten students' emergent reading skills. In this quasi-experimental design (experimental school vs. control school), repeated measures were used (pretest and posttest). Change scores (posttest minus pretest) were calculated to run analyses. Morrow's Story Retelling was significant for the experimental group, p=.006. The Woodcock-Johnson Passage Comprehension (WJPC) subtest was significant for the interaction of group and type of kindergarten program, p=.005, meaning more children in full day programs and using CAI were reading and understanding passages. Unrelated to the hypotheses that were tested, the Phonological Awareness Test (PAT) was significant for culture, p=.006. Post Hoc results demonstrated significance between white students and English Language Learners (ELL) on the PAT, p=.003. The Concepts About Print Test was not found to be significant. No significances were found for the Woodcock-Johnson Letter/Word Identification subtest, either. In conclusion, CAI did have a positive impact on several measures of emergent reading skills. A Home Literacy Survey was completed by the parents of all participants. This survey provided extensive information about the type and frequency of literacy activities done in the students' homes to answer the research question concerning the value of home literacy activities in preparation for formal schooling. Significance was found for pretest scores on the WJPC, p=.004. The results were significant for Morrow's Story Retelling for change scores, p=.005. Conclusions can be drawn that literacy activities done in the home before coming to school do have an impact on reading/listening comprehension as measured by the WJPC and Morrow's Story Retelling. Finally, teachers in the experimental school were asked their opinions about CAI. They unanimously agreed that CAI was beneficial to students, especially low performing students. But reservations included the loss of class time to do computer lessons and the availability of a variety of CAI programs. There were also several complaints directed at the PLATO program examined in this study. The program was not user friendly for kindergarten children to operate independently, and there were reliability problems.College of Architecture / Department of Elementary Education