The purpose of this study is to determine if the Sharpening Math Skills Lab technology-mediated mathematics instructional practices for math-delayed middle school students have positive effects on their mathematics achievement and spatial visualization ability and to gauge student engagement in learning, implementation of the principles of instructional design, and attitudes toward mathematics instruction. The results of a recent meta-analysis report a range of significantly positive to significantly negative effect sizes which establish a need for further evaluation of academic achievement utilizing technology-mediated mathematics programs at the middle school level (Slavin, Lake, & Groff, 2007). The literature (Moreno & Mayer, 2000) also suggests examining the principles of multimedia instructional design as they relate to programs such as those utilized in the Sharpening Math Skills Lab. The need for testing for relationships between student spatial visualization and problem solving ability (Wheatley, 1991), student attitudes and motivation toward mathematics (Tapia & Marsh, 2004), and students behavior while engaged in multimedia learning activities has also been established in the literature.
This quasi-experimental study compares academic achievement of 109 southwest Louisiana 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in one school who participated in a treatment program of technology-mediated remedial math instruction with 162 - 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from two other schools in the same district who received traditional classroom mathematics instruction. The experimental group attended the Sharpening Math Skills Lab 45 minutes per day utilizing FASTTMath software and iSucceed software with individual assistance provided by the lab facilitator and math teacher.
Measurement instruments include Scantron Performance and Achievement Series tests, Wheatley Spatial Ability Test (WSAT) (1996), and Attitudes Toward Math Survey (ATMI) (Tapia, 1996). Qualitative data about the experimental group including levels of engagement and the effectiveness of instructional design of the software utilized were also gathered.
Positive outcomes of the study include making best practices recommendations for remedial mathematics instruction of math-delayed middle school students. Data accumulated in the study contributes to the body of evidence on the usefulness of technology-based remediation practices and provides important information to school officials in the development of curricular and budgetary decisions.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-04042008-095620 |
| Date | 07 April 2008 |
| Creators | Stokes, Lisa L. |
| Contributors | Keena Arbuthnot, Eugene Kennedy, Don Kraft, Earl Cheek, Janice Hinson |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-04042008-095620/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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