This study examined the ability of preliterate Kindergarten students to use pictographic sequences as cues in comprehending stories. Thirty-six children were trained to use a pictographic encoding for objects, actions, and spatial and temporal relations. Sequences of these pictographs were used to represent events and relations among objects. The children's use of the pictographic sequences in comprehending stories was investigated in three studies. Study 1 assessed the cuing effect of pictographic information that was available while children listened to stories. Study 2 assessed the cuing effect of pictographic information that was available to the children as they recalled a story to which they had listened previously. Study 3 assessed the cuing effect of pictographic information available during recall for stories in which the initial input for the stories was only pictographic information. / Children's comprehension in telling or retelling a story was analyzed in terms of recall, recall and inference, and inference types of processing of semantic propositions according to Frederiksen's (1975) propositional analyses model. The analyses revealed that for all studies, most comprehension processing was of the joint recall and inference type. This result indicates that the children were attempting to comprehend the story, as opposed on the one hand to memorizing the story (as would be indicated by high recall) and on the other to producing a story (as would be indicated by high inference). / Study 1 revealed that looking at pictographic material during an oral presentation of the story did not facilitate comprehension as compared to an oral presentation only. / Study 2 revealed that the presence of pictographic material during recall production enhanced comprehension as compared to recall without such material being available. In this situation, pictographs appeared to serve as cues helping the subject to retrieve relevant information about the story. / Study 3 revealed that cuing facilitation of pictographic sequences during recall found in Study 2 also occurred when the story was initially presented by pictographic sequences alone. / The results of the three studies indicate that preliterate Kindergarten children can use pictographic sequences to augment their comprehension of simple stories presented orally, and that in certain situation they can comprehend such stories in a substantial manner from pictographic sequences alone.

The ability of dictionaries, either in printed or electronic form, to enhance text comprehension has not been systematically investigated. Consequently, in order to investigate whether dictionary support improves text comprehension, this study compared readers' first-language (L1) and second-language (L2) text comprehension across three dictionary conditions and two proficiency levels. Recall, dictionary usage and reading times were the measures employed. Subjects were anglophone members of the Canadian Armed Forces military personnel with high-intermediate to advanced French second-language skills. / Procedural texts were used: subjects read both an L1 and an L2 text in each of three conditions: (a) no dictionary access; (b) access to hard-copy dictionaries; and (c) access to on-line computerized dictionaries. The number of words looked up varied greatly by language, by proficiency level and by dictionary modality, with a far greater number of words accessed in L2 than in L1, by intermediate- than by advanced-level readers and in the on-line rather than in the hard-copy dictionary condition. The variance in dictionary usage was explained by the two-way interactions between language, proficiency level and dictionary condition. / Reading times were higher for intermediate-level readers than for advanced-level readers, and when L2 rather than L1 texts were read. These reading time results are consistent with the patterns of dictionary consultation, where intermediate L2 reading produced the most look-ups. / Most readers expressed a preference for on-line dictionaries, reporting that the ease of access led to faster and better text comprehension, but this impression was not confirmed by the findings. Analyses of recall protocols indicated that there was no main effect for the type of dictionary consulted. Similar levels of recall were found on all passages read with access to dictionaries, regardless of the language of presentation. Significantly lower recalls were found on passages read with no access to dictionaries, with L2 recall lower than L1 recall. This study indicates that the type of dictionary accessed does not significantly influence comprehension. The high number of L2 dictionary look-ups does suggest that readers may use dictionaries to compensate for weaker second language vocabulary skills, resulting in similar levels of text comprehension across languages.

The problem of this study is to present an evaluation of the adequacy and the use of multi-sensory aids, library facilities, and environmental resources in the schools of Florida. / Advisor: H. A. Curtis, Professor Directing Paper. / Typescript. / "March, 1950." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts under Plan II." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-64).

No description available.

Typescript, etc. / Digitized by Kansas State University Libraries

Mathematics presents a stumbling block to many students, particularly those majoring in scientific fields, business administration, or elementary education. Improvement of student achievement in mathematics at the lower division college level is needed. Seven instructional methods were investigated in terms of student achievement: programmed instruction (P.I.), individualized instruction (I.I.), computer based instruction (CBI), laboratory and discovery methods (Lab), television (TV), audio-tutorial (A-T), and tutoring. The research questions were: (1) What is the relative effectiveness of the innovative instructional methods as measured by student achievement and compared to the traditional lecture method? (2) What is the relative effectiveness of the innovative instructional methods on students of differing ability and course levels. (3) What is the effectiveness of combinations of the innovative instructional methods? A meta-analytical approach was used. Studies comparing an innovative method to the lecture or to another innovative method were located, and the summary data in each were used to calculate an "effect size"--a standardized measure of the effectiveness of the innovative method--to which statistical procedures were applied. The meta-analysis found that (1) Relative to the lecture method, six of the innovative methods produced a positive effect on student achievement. The ranking of the methods in order of decreasing effectiveness was: tutoring, CAI, A-T, I.I., P.I., Lab, TV. (2) The most effective methods by level of course were: (a) Precalculus level: CAI, A-T, and tutoring; (b) Calculus level: tutoring, I.I., P.I., and A-T; (c) Foundations of Mathematics (elementary education majors): P.I.; Descriptive Geometry: TV. The most effective methods by ability level of the student were: (a) High ability: CAI and Lab; (b) Middle ability: CAI, I.I., and P.I.; (c) Low ability: P.I. and A-T. (3) The lack of empirical studies prevent a determination of the relative effectiveness of combinations of the innovative methods. Recommendations include the following: (1) Variation of instructional methods; (2) Incorporation of specific, effective elements of innovative methods into the lower division college mathematics instructor's repertoire; and (3) Empirical investigation of the effectiveness of combinations of methods and of various instructional methods on students of different ability levels.

This study focused on the differences in the knowledge gained between instructionally designed mediated lecture instruction and traditional lecture instruction. The sample used in this study consisted of 107 new hospital employees required to attend an orientation. The experimental group consisted of 43 subjects and the control group consisted of 64 subjects. Each group was given a pre-, post- and post-delayed knowledge test and an attitude test. The following hypotheses were tested: (H₀1) There will be no differences in post-test scores between groups. (H₂) There will be no differences in post-delayed test scores between groups. (H₃) There will be no differences in attitudes between groups. An analysis of covariance was computed on the data to test hypothesis one and hypothesis two and a one-way analysis of variance to test hypothesis three. The results indicated no significant differences on post-test scores and Hypothesis One was retained. Hypothesis Two was rejected as a significant difference indicated an increase in knowledge retained over time by the experimental group. Hypothesis Three was rejected with the experimental group reacting much more favorably to the mediated lecture. The conclusions reached as a result of this study were that both groups were learning, regardless of the method of instruction. Also knowledge was retained over time much better by the experimental group when the information was presented in the instructionally designed mediated format. Finally, the favorable response by the experimental group to the mediated lecture indicated a preference for this teaching format. Recommendations for additional investigations were discussed.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries