A STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMPUTER WHEN USED AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOL IN HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS

Abstract

Conducted in the Dearborn Public Schools, Dearborn, Michigan, the study was designed to determine if students who use a computer to learn mathematics attain a higher level of achievement than other students of the same ability level who do not use a computer to learn mathematics. Students in two algebra-trigonometry classes participated in the study: 14 boys and 12 girls in the experimental group which used a computer as a teaching and learning tool; 14 boys and 11 girls in the control group which did not use a computer. All students were classified as "middle ability", having been empirically, placed at that level by mathematics teachers based upon each student's prior achievement in mathematics; but randomly scheduled into the two groups by a computer. Both the experimental group and control group were taught by the same teacher. Except for instruction and assignments in the experimental group involving the use of the computer terminals and the language called BASIC, the course objectives; methods, techniques, and instructional materials were the same for both groups. The experimental group used the computer in three ways: (1) as a computational tool (2) as a teaching and learning tool and (3) experimentally.