The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of computer-assisted practice on English grammar and mechanics achievement of third grade students. Specifically, it investigated whether or not there was a significant difference when one group received traditional instruction with practice provided by means of workbooks and worksheets while another group received traditional instruction with practice provided by utilizing a computer.The subjects consisted of 74 students from Chapter I schools from a large, midwestern school corporation in an industrial community. The groups were from four intact classrooms with 41 students in the experimental group and 33 students in the control group.The instrument used was the Language Mechanics and Language Expression subtests of the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS), Level E. Ability levels were determined by grade equivalent pretest scores. An analysis of covariance and a post hoc univariate analysis of covariance were used to determine results at the p<.05 level of significance.FindingsStatistical analyses revealed the following results:1. The experimental group made significantly greater gains than the control group in language mechanics and language expression achievement.2. There was no significant difference in language mechanics and language expression achievement with regard to gender or ability levels of the experimental group and the control group.3. There was a significant difference in language mechanics achievement, but not of language expression achievement, between the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group made greater gains in language mechanics achievement than the control group.ConclusionsBased on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn:1. Computer-assisted practice significantly improved English grammar and mechanics scores of third grade students in this study, according to the Language Mechanics and Language Expression subtests of the CTBS.2. Computer-assisted practice did not significantly improve English grammar and mechanics of third grade students with regard to gender or ability.3. Computer-assisted practice significantly improved language mechanics scores, but not language expression scores, of third grade students.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176048 |
| Date | 03 June 2011 |
| Creators | Elkins, Ruth E. Fuhrman |
| Contributors | Williams, R. Ann |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vii, 107 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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