The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a tree diagram of coordinate definitions upon a defined concept learning task. Two levels of treatment method were used: a text that arranged the definitions and examples of seven coordinate concepts in a tree-like diagram, and a text that arranged these same definitions and examples in a standard textbook format. In addition, this study examined a method of creating concept examples that required different levels of discrimination and generalization. This method was called a rational set generator. Forty-six junior and senior high school physics students were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group received a self-instructional text of definitions of seven physics concepts arranged in a tree diagram, while the control group received the same concepts in a standard textbook format. All students were given an immediate retention test and a similar delayed measure 8 days later. Both tests were composed of test examples created by the rational set generator method. / A regression analysis of test results indicated significant interaction between the text method used and the reading ability of the subjects used, with the lower ability students using the diagram method scoring higher than the textbook subjects of the same ability. A regression analysis of the delayed retention test indicated no significant interactions or differences between groups. The test item error patterns of all subjects were examined for the percentage of low versus high generalization items missed, and the number of items missed due to obvious versus fine discrimination mistakes. A t-test of immediate and delayed retention tests indicated significant differences in both tests, with the high generalization items missed more frequently than the low generalization items, and the number of fine discrimination errors greater than the obvious discrimination errors. These results confirmed the hypothesis that a rational set generator creates item examples that individually require different levels of generalization and discrimination. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-11, Section: A, page: 3366. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75227 |
| Contributors | TESSMER, MARTIN ALLEN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 141 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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