The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of instruction and use of a study method on scores achieved students in fourth grade compared with scores achieved by students in fourth grade who had not practiced that study method.A total of eighty-three students participated in the study. The subjects were members of four intact fourth grade classes in two separate buildings in a school system in northern Indiana. One intact class in each building was considered to be the comparison group and the other served as the experimental group. There were forty students in the comparison group and forty-three students in the experimental group. Membership in an intact class assigned to a specific teacher was the basis for assignment to the comparison group or to the experimental group. Classes were assigned to the comparison group or to the experimental group on a random basis.A rank was assigned to each student by the classroom teacher on the basis of individual academic performance and capability. Students were ranked in the upper third, middle third or lower third of the class. Four instruments were devised and administered in a counterbalanced pattern. Each student in the study responded to all four instruments through repeated measurements. The instruments were administered at the beginning of the study and at intervals of fourteen school days thereafter. Experimental teachers were provided instruction in the SQ3R Study Method in an inservice presentation prior to the beginning of the study. Following administration of the first measurement, the SQ3R Study Method was initiated with the experimental group. The comparison group did not receive instruction in that method. After fourteen school days, the second measurement was taken and treatment was suspended for fourteen school days. At the end of that period the third measurement was taken and the SQ3R Study Method treatment was resumed with the experimental group. The final measurement was administered on the fortysecond school day.A repeated measures analysis of variance was the statistical treatment applied showing the independent variable sex not to be a factor significantly contributing to differences among scores. A multivariate analysis of variance was applied to independent variables: membership in the experimental or comparison group; student rankings in the upper, middle or lower third of the classroom; and attendance at one of the schools participating in the study.The findings of this study suggest that fourth grade students can profit from instruction in the SQ3R Study Method. The experimental group demonstrated evidence of regular increase in mean scores achieved to a statistically significant degree, but the comparison group did not.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176766 |
| Date | 03 June 2011 |
| Creators | Hessler, Phyllis J. |
| Contributors | Lumpkin, Donavon D. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vi, 108 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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