A comparison of student outcomes with and without teacher facilitated computer-based instruction

doi:10.1016/S0360-1315(02)00120-3

Computers & Education

Volume 40, Issue 2, February 2003, Pages 183-191

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0360-1315(02)00120-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

The SuccessMaker computer-based instructional package can be used to improve the academic outcomes of disruptive students when intervention is teacher facilitated. Over a 2-year period, 215 participants identified as disruptive student were involved in a naturalistic quasi-experimental design in which independent sample t-tests were employed to determined differences between comparisons (Group I) and interventions (Group II) on psychosocial and academic measures. A significant difference (P<0.05) was found between Group I and Group II on locus of control and grade point average at the end of the first grading period subsequent to the intervention. The difference in grade point averages was suspected to be attributed to the average amount of time spent on two curriculum areas, math and science, within the 14 academic areas that comprise the SuccessMaker computerized program. Evidence from this study provides hope that teacher facilitation with computer-based instruction (CBI) may be the key to improving locus of control and grade point averages of disruptive students.

Section snippets

Student academic outcomes and teacher facilitation

Educating disruptive students is a social concern that has grown immensely in both scope and depth in the past decade. The educational dilemma of providing safe schools while fostering appropriate learning environments for all students has prompted communities to create alternative forms of education for students whose behaviors interfere with learning. One such intervention has been the establishment of alternative educational programs for disruptive students, already at-risk for academic

Student participants

Student participants for the two school years (1994–1995 and 1995–1996) who were assigned to the AEP for disciplinary reasons had several characteristics in common. Students were more likely to be male (80%) than female (20%); were African-American (85%) rather than Euro-American (14%); were 15 years or older (73%) and were classified as eighth (21%), nineth (45%), or tenth (19%) graders. In addition, family patterns were similar. Sixty-three percent of the legal guardians were grandmothers

Results

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the SuccessMaker Secondary/Adult Curriculum with teacher facilitation as measured by psychosocial functioning and academic performance. In an effort to determine the differences between Groups I and II, researchers conducted an independent sample t-test to compare the mean scores on the pretest outcome variables for Group I and Group II. Data in Table 2 indicated that the groups were similar or equivalent at the beginning of the study.

Discussion

Computer-based instruction appears to be a useful learning option for disruptive students. With teacher guidance, these students appear to take more responsibility for their learning. As a result, students experience academic gains that can be sustained for 180 days post assignment to AEP.

Regarding the psychosocial functioning variable, locus of control, there was a significant difference between Group I (17.0) and II (15.0 ) at exit. Group II entered the AEP with an internal locus of control

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View full text

A comparison of student outcomes with and without teacher facilitated computer-based instruction

Abstract

Section snippets

Student academic outcomes and teacher facilitation

Student participants

Results

Discussion

Computers in Human Behavior

Computers and Education

Using graphing to teach subtraction

The Computing Teacher

Young learner's reactions to problems solving contrasted by distinctly divergent computer interfaces

Journal of Computing Childhood Education

A process evaluation of school social work services in a disciplinary alternative educational program

Children & Schools

The SuccessMaker secondary/adult package

Can alternative schools succeed where Benjamin Spock, Spiro Agnew, and B.F. Skinner have failed?

Adolescence