Enhancement
of Critical Competencies through Computter Aided Learning Packages
(
a PhD Report )
Chandan
Sengupta
Abstract
Competency enhancement depends upon the skill acquisition and
skill acquisition in turn regulated by the educational interaction and direct
involvement in the regular practices. Some of the competencies identified as
critical in terms of their scope of general report of non-achievements or
partial achievements in general cases. Implication of Computer Aided Learning
Packages examined in this research activity for identifying the role of such
packages or teaching – learning activities in competency enhancement process.
Theoretical Perspective and
Research Design
Competencies are measurable portion
of a person performing and/or willing to perform in certain instances assigned
by a particular guide. It measures observable knowledge, skills, abilities, and
behaviors pertaining to success. Competencies equip a person during lifelong
activities and instances of participation. Some portion of the competency
become visible like an iceberg floating on the ocean bed.
It also defines skills and competence of the individual performing in the
context for fulfilling certain objectives. Knowledge is the
practical or theoretical understanding of a subject. Skills and abilities are
natural or learned capacities to perform acts. Behavior is a pattern
of actions or conduct.
Attainment of competency
as observed in different individuals varies considerably. For example somebody
sings well, some other person is a good painter, some can speak well, some
rarely speaks. Lot of examples can be furnished in this regard. Regarding some
of the selected competencies (considered as critical) most of the learners feel
problem. Addressing these competencies with some learning outcome is to be
worked out. It can bring some reflection upon the Application of Computer in
regular day to day study and skill acquisition. It may true that computer
cannot replace a teacher because of some reason. It may facilitate teaching by
availing its mechanized process.
Statement of Problem
Competency non-achievements at
school level are frequently reported from the student of 11- 14 years of
age-group. Some of the group specific and some individual specific problems
identified from the specified age group were as follows:
1.
In a classroom having teacher:
student ratio- 1:60, a teacher rarely capable of implying individual attention
upon all students. A teacher usually follows a stereotype model of curriculum transaction
in a generalized way for finishing the job within a time-frame prescribed to
him/her.
2.
While attending a group, general
instructional strategies adopted for all the participant students; and by that
way a student having individual specific problems in competency achievements
may remain unreached and even unattended by the teacher.
3.
Students spending less than two
hours a day for study at home usually become non-achievers.
4.
Students promoted to upper class
with previous history of non- achievements in any subject area may become
non-achiever for the second time.
5.
Lack of proper guidance at home
often makes students poor in study.
6.
Lack of interest in study is the
major reason of competency non-achievements.
7.
Problems observed in achieving
certain level of competencies by all students in common. For instance students
rarely attempt questions of Geometrical Portion in common. They also often
avoid questions related to measurements, calculation of area of certain space
and also problems related angles and straight-line. Plan of study came in
mind after observing the commonness to the non- performance or poor-
performance of some students of class seven and eight. It also became evident
that students losing interest in study due to periodic lecture session running
throughout the day.
Set of Objectives
Questions arose about role of
teacher in the process of competency enhancement. The process enhancement
concerns with up gradation of the quality exhibited by the participant
students. How one can improve the level of competency enhancement was also a
matter of concern. Application of computer in content delivery system and also
designing and applying some software for the regular study can be practiced on
an experimental basis. By that process experimental research came on surface
with following objectives:
1.
To trace-out different areas of
Critical Competencies at Elementary Stage ( 6 to 14 years of age-group.)
2.
To develop different Computer Aided
Learning Packages and Monitoring and Evaluation Tools on the basis of different
areas of Critical Competencies
identified earlier.
3.
To expose students in different
learning – teaching environments for evaluating their achievements.
4.
To exercise different learning
teaching environments for evaluating learner’s achievements.
5.
To find out levels of achievements
in both the case of administration of CAL Package and
normal way of study.
6.
On the basis of results preparing
modules and models of study for wider application.
Hypothesis
The research hypothesized following
aspects:
1.
Computer Aided Learning will
minimize the instructional gap and thereby it will influence the competency
achievements.
2.
Activity oriented learning
will gain much more attention of students, and thereby competency achievement
will be enhanced.
3.
All the competencies may
not be arranged in as per their inter-relations. Rearranging competencies in
different modules will ensure easier competency achievements.
4.
Computer Aided Learning will expose
teachers to other areas of Curriculum.
Hypothesis
can be tested through a process of experimental study where selected students
receive special treatment and another group will not receive such treatment.
Competency achievements will be tested afterward. Tests were organized both
before and after the process of experimentation. For experimentation four
competencies selected from the table of basic competencies available. These
were as follows:
1.
Speaking
(Linguistic Competency);
i.
Grammar
and Vocabulry
2.
Mathematical
Reasoning(Mathematical Competence);
i.
Factors
and Multiples;
ii.
Decimals
and Fractions;
iii.
Geometric
Assumptions;
3.
Strategic
Vision (Perception Competence).
i.
State of
Matters
4.
Planning
& Organizing
Algorithm
Flowcharts
Learning outcome of all these
competencies designed as per the area of competencies concerned (see Table 1).
Scope of Computer application on all
these competencies considered possible and a system of instruction process for
three months designed for addressing these competencies through computer aided
content areas and related evaluation tools.
Table 1 :
Learning outcome of Competencies
|
Competencies
|
Learning
Outcome
(After
attaining such competence candidate can achieve enlisted abilities perfectly)
|
|
Speaking
(Linguistic Competency);
|
Conveys ideas and facts orally
using language the audience will best understand.
|
|
Mathematical
Reasoning(Mathematical Competence);
|
Uses mathematical techniques to
calculate data or solve practical problems.
|
|
Strategic
Vision (Perception Competence).
|
Sees the big, long-range picture.
Compare the state of matters and
also understand the changes in the state of matters.
|
|
Planning
& Organizing
|
Coordinates ideas and resources to
achieve goals.
|
Addressing each competency separately is not possible, hence the group of four
competencies considered in an integrated fashion while selecting content areas
of study.
Research
Design
Pre-test post – test research design considered for this purpose. That means
both the group (Experimental and Control ) will participate in the evaluation
process both before and after the special treatment administered upon the
Experimental Group ( Table 2). Treatment of Computer Aided Learning Package
introduced only upon the Experimental Group and changes in the achievement
level observed through evaluation. Laboratory engagements planned as per the
availability of the computer.
Table 2: – Pre-test – Post
– test Design
|
Group
|
Pre-test
|
Treatment of Computer Aided
Learning
|
Post-test
|
|
Experimental
|
O1
|
C
|
O2
|
|
Control
|
O3
|
O4
|
|
This design allows us to compare the final posttest results
between the two groups, giving an idea of the overall effectiveness of the
intervention or treatment. (C) We can see how both groups changed from pretest
to posttest, whether one, both or neither improved over time. If the control
group also showed a significant improvement, then we must attempt to uncover
the reasons behind this.
Tools of Experimentation
We considered Computer as a tool of the experimentation. Potential of
computer application explored properly to deliver different Computer Aided Learning
packages as per our expectation and planned perspective of the research.
Computer worked as a powerful interface in between the teacher and the
students. In this case teacher worked earlier in advance for reaching the point
of learning activity. Computer directly worked on the basis of the process
operations delivered to it by experts of the particular experts. Different
teaching and learning instances of Computer Application were duly recorded.
Statistical test has been used to analyze differences in the scores of two or
more groups.
This research activity wanted to examine the effectiveness of Computer Aided
Learning Packages upon a selected group of students as a process motivator/
inducer for Competency Enhancement process. The research initiated with a
courage and enthusiasm of attaining desired results at the end of the
experimentation.
Study of Related Literature
Computer
Aided Learning as a tool of learning has been recorded in different instances
of study. Some of the relevant observations are as follows:
1.
According to a study conducted
by David Moore; Paul McGrath; John Thorpe (Computer-Aided
Learning for People with Autism – a Framework for Research and
Development ) , there is good evidence that computer-aided learning
is well accepted by students with autism and is of great potential
benefit to them. Despite the potential, however, the field remains relatively
unexplored. This paper therefore proposes a framework for further research and
development in the field of computer-aided learning for students with autism.
2.
According to International World
Wide Web Conference Proceedings of the 15th international conference on
World Wide Web ( Edinburgh, Scotland SESSION: Developing regions 2),
Computer-aided learning is fast gaining traction in developing regions as a
means to augment classroom instruction. Reasons for using computer-aided
learning range from supplementing teacher shortages to starting underprivileged
children off in technology, and funding for such initiatives range from state
education funds to international agencies and private groups interested in
child development.
3.
As early
as 1993, William D. Graziadei1 described
an online computer-delivered lecture, tutorial and assessment project using
electronic Mail, with several software programs that allowed students and
instructor to create a Virtual Instructional Classroom Environment in Science
(VICES) in Research, Education, Service & Teaching (REST).
4.
Bates and Poole (2003) and the
OECD (2005) suggest that different types or forms of e-learning can
be considered as a continuum, from no e-learning, i.e. no use of computers
and/or the Internet for teaching and learning, through classroom aids,
such as making classroom lecture Powerpoint slides available to students.
5.
Alison
Lane and Mike Porch organized a study on the impact of Computer Aided Learning
on nonspecialised accounts graduates. This
study examines the factors affecting students’ performance on an introductory
UK undergraduate financial accounting course and changes in students’ attitudes
and perceptions towards Computer Aided Learning (CAL) and accounting.
6.
A
Co-operative research project in Computer-Aided Learning, J.W. Brahan and
W.C. Brown In 1967, the National Research
Council (NRC) began a preliminary study of the application of computers as aids
to learning. This initial work led to the establishment of a central research
facility which is used by the NRC and a number of educational research
organizations in a co-operative program of research into computer-aided
learning.
Research Methodologies
Experimental Research Design and
Analysis offers a rational approach to the quantitative methods of educational
experiments. In its innovative presentation of the most commonly used
experimental designs, this advanced text/reference discusses the logical
reasons for selecting a particular design and shows how experimental results
can be analyzed and interpreted. Real-world examples from different areas of
educational experimentation are featured throughout the paper to illustrate how
practical issues of design and analysis are handled.
For
many true experimental designs, pretest-posttest designs are the
preferred method to compare participant groups and measure the degree of change
occurring as a result of treatments or interventions. Pretest-posttest designs
grew from the simpler posttest only designs, and address some of the issues
arising with assignment bias and the allocation of participants to groups. One
example is education, where researchers want to monitor the effect of a new
teaching method upon groups of children. Other areas include evaluating the
effects of counseling, testing medical treatments, and measuring psychological
constructs. The only stipulation is that the subjects must be randomly assigned
to groups, in a true experimental design, to properly isolate and nullify any
nuisance or confounding variables.
Selection
of Sample
At initial it was a plan to select 120 students for experimental and 120
students for control group. Some students finalized to withdraw from the
research study. For maintaining the uniformity of the groups total 200 students
were considered for the study and were randomely distributed in 4 groups 2 experimental
and 2 control groups comprising 50 students each.
Table 3 : Sample
|
Boys
|
Girls
|
Total
|
|
|
Experimental Group
|
50
|
50
|
100
|
|
Control Group
|
50
|
50
|
100
|
|
Total
|
100
|
100
|
200
|
Statistical Analysis Tools:
For examining the effectiveness of
the Computer Aided Learning Packages upon the enhancement of Critical
Competencies application of Statistical Analysis tools were considered
vital. T Test and Chi Square Test Tools were considered suitable ones in
this regard.
Chi Square
Test
The chi-square is one of the most
popular statistics because it is easy to calculate and interpret. There are two
kinds of chi-square tests. The first is called a one-way analysis, and the
second is called a two-way analysis. The purpose of both is to determine
whether the observed frequencies (counts) markedly differ from the frequencies
that we would expect by chance.
A standard spreadsheet interface is
used to enter the counts for each cell. After you’ve finished entering the
data, the program will print the chi-square, degrees of freedom and probability
of chance.
In a 2X2 table (four Cells ) there
is a simple formula that eliminates the need to calculate the theoretical
frequencies for each cell.
Table 4 : Achievement –
Non-achievement Data
|
Competency
Achievements
|
Experimental
Group
|
Control
Group
|
Total No
of Students
|
|
Achievers
|
A
|
B
|
A+B
|
|
Non-achievers
|
C
|
D
|
C+D
|
|
Total
|
A+C
|
B+D
|
N
|
|
Degree
of Freedom = (Rows – 1)(Column – 1) = 1
|
|||
|
X 2
=
|
N[|AD-BC|] 2
|
|
(A+B)(C+D)(A+C)(B+D)
|
For each level of significance there
exists a critical value of chi-square. For rejection of the Null Hypothesis,
the calculated value of chi-square must equal or exceed the critical value
depicted in the table of Critical Values (Table 5)
Table 5:
Critical Value of Chi-Square
|
Particulars
|
Critical Values at different
Levels of Significance and 1 degree of freedom
|
|
|
Levels of Significance
|
0.05
|
0.01
|
|
Chi Square Value
|
3.84
|
6.64
|
Data
Collection and Analysis
Experimental research lasted for
three months, covering one unit of the academic session. Idea behind such plan
was not to disturb the normal academic process of the learner and the teacher.
In all total 200 students participated in the experimentation and evaluation
process. Evaluation conducted at the project laboratory at Wardha (a district headquarters
of Maharashtra). Some of the ICT (Information Communication Technology) Skills
as recorded during curriculum transaction were recorded during the process
documentation and tabulated for tracing out impression of ICT Skills
within the scope of experimental group. ICT Skills reflected differently within
the regular.
Both quality and quantity
perspective of experimental study duly recorded in the form of Process
Documentation. Teaching and learning activities was quite different in a
one-to-one Computer Aided Learning environment.
Documentation grouped in accord to
the objectives and the set of hypothesis accompanying that objective.( Table 6).
First and foremost objective pointed out the need of identifying different
areas of Critical Competencies and their status within the referred group of
students.
Table 6 :
First Set of Objectives
|
Objective:
|
Hypothesis
|
Null Hypothesis
|
|
Objective 1:
To trace-out different areas of
Critical Competencies at Elementary Stage ( 6 to 14 years of age-group.)
|
H2:
. Activity
oriented learning will gain much more attention of students, and
thereby competency achievement will be enhanced.
|
H02:
. Activity
oriented learning will not gain much more attention of students,
and competency achievement will never be enhanced.
|
|
Objective 2
To develop different Computer
Aided Learning Packages and Monitoring and Evaluation Tools on the basis of
different areas of Critical Competencies
identified earlier.
|
H3:
All the competencies may
not be arranged in as per their inter-relations. Rearranging competencies in
different modules will ensure easier competency achievements.
|
H03:
All the competencies may
be arranged in as per their inter-relations. Rearranging competencies in
different modules will never ensure easier competency achievements.
|
Different areas of critical
competencies were traced out from the result sheet and answer papers of the Pre
– Test Papers. Statistical data reflected majority of competency non
achievements in specific areas such as Decimals, Fractions, Geometry and
English Grammar. Students rarely attended questions related to property
of elements and problems related to Valence of Elements.
Critical Competencies duly enlisted
for consideration for furtherance of the research activity. Enlisted
competencies were…
1.
Understanding Decimals and Fractions.
2. Ability
to solve geometrical problems.
3.
Understanding English Grammar.
4. Knowledge
of Space in Geometry.
5.
Understanding Scientific Concepts (e.g. Property of Elements, Valency of
Elements and Compounds).
The
list may vary as per the knowledge base of the group under consideration but
the competence of specific type will remain unchanged. We, therefore ,
kept our research bias free by providing similar contents and frameworks to all
participants of the research. Simply the medium and mode of instructional
strategies changed.
In a CAL Laboratory:
·
technology is used frequently with
utmost interest;
·
technology is incorporated to a much
greater degree than other classrooms;
·
attendance and discipline rates
improved;
·
[ Evidence where Hypothesis H2 will
be established and H02 as null hypothesis will be rejected].
·
Student motivation and engagement
recorded higher than the classrooms of Control Group.
·
Student’s (and parent’s) attitudes
to school improved.
·
student achievement increased.
·
Students access a broader range of
resources ensured.
·
there tends to be more
student-centred strategies such as project-based learning and independent
inquiry/research
·
there were more examples of
cooperative learning than in control classrooms
·
the teacher was more likely to act
as coach/facilitator and participant.
·
The relationship between teacher and
student recorded as more dynamic one.
·
computers recorded as the main
writing tool (and students wanted to write more with higher quality text)
·
Students primarily worked alone or
in a large group during interactive session upon CAL Packages.
·
Students used computers at home more
frequently for school work.
A
comparison of regular classrooms and technology-rich classrooms suggest that
pedagogical approaches are different. In a regular classroom: teachers spend
more time giving instruction, leading discussions, asking and answering
questions and managing the classroom; students spend more time asking and
answering questions, working individually and as a whole group. In a
technology-enabled classroom: teachers spend most of their time in
demonstration, directing activities and talking to students; students spend
more time working on projects, working in small groups, talking to and
listening to other students. Participatory process amongst students revived
with much higher rate of interactive phases. A CAL classroom provided
opportunities for a more student-centred, project-based and Close User Group
orientated learning environment.
It was evident from the observation
that students exposed to Computer Aided Assignments actively participated in
the learning prodess and therefore they all completed their assignments in
time. Not only that new things such as logo command, interactive stories and
powerpoint presentations appeared infront of them as means of eye opener of
their conceptualization process. They started questioning ( step I
advancement), they started consulting peer group members(step 2 advancement),
they started exploring possible frame of solutions at their own (step 3
advancement and they started verifying their understanding through computer
application tools (Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Powerpoint etc).
It
was a special case where a computational formula for the chi-square test was
used. Specifically, since we had a two-way factorial design and there were only
two-levels of each independent variable, we used the following computational
formula( Table 8).
Table 7: Set of Objective –
Hypothesis
|
Objective:
|
Hypothesis
|
Null Hypothesis
|
|
Objective 5:
To find out levels of achievements in both the case
of administration of CAL Package and
normal way of study.
|
H5:
CAL Package will influence the
Competency Enhancement and Students participating in Computer Aided Learning
will improve their status in examination and there levels of Critical
Competencies will be enhanced.
|
H05:
CAL Package will not influence the
Competency Enhancement and Students participating in Computer Aided Learning
will not improve their status in examination and there levels of Critical
Competencies will not be enhanced.
|
|
H5:
Classroom Learning will influence
the Competency Enhancement and Students participating in classroom Learning
will improve their status in examination and there levels of Critical
Competencies will be enhanced.
|
H05:
Classroom Learning will not
influence the Competency Enhancement and Students participating in classroom
Learning will not improve their status in examination and there levels of
Critical Competencies will not be enhanced.
|
|
In this regard Competency
Enhancement was placed against administration of CAL Package. Both the positive
and negative records floated in the 2X2 table for getting the matrix.
Table 8: Record of Competency
Enhancement
|
Group
|
Pre – Test
|
Post – Test
|
||
|
Achievers
|
Non-achievers
|
Achievers
|
Non-achievers
|
|
|
Experimental Group 1
|
13
|
37
|
31
|
19
|
|
Experimental Group 2
|
16
|
34
|
36
|
14
|
|
Experimental (Total)
|
29
|
71
|
67
|
33
|
|
Control Group1
|
19
|
31
|
21
|
29
|
|
Control Group 2
|
13
|
37
|
18
|
32
|
|
32
|
68
|
39
|
61
|
|
|
69
|
131
|
103
|
97
|
|
Overall results were floated in
forming 2X2 tables for different groups ( Table 9, 10, 11, 12) and then the
data used for generating chi square values.
Table 9:
Experimental Group: Pre-Test – Post Test Score Card
Group 1:
|
Before CAL Package Administered
|
After CAL Package Administered
|
Total
|
|
|
Competency Enhanced
|
13
|
31
|
44
|
|
Competency Not Enhanced
|
37
|
19
|
56
|
|
50
|
50
|
100
|
|
Table 10:
Experimental Group: Pre-Test – Post Test Score Card
Group 2:
|
Before CAL Package Administered
|
After CAL Package Administered
|
Total
|
|
|
Competency Enhanced
|
16
|
36
|
52
|
|
Competency Not Enhanced
|
34
|
14
|
48
|
|
50
|
50
|
100
|
|
Table 11:
Control Group: Pre-Test – Post Test Score Card
Group 1:
|
Before CAL Package Administered
|
After CAL Package Administered
|
Total
|
|
|
Competency Enhanced
|
19
|
21
|
40
|
|
Competency Not Enhanced
|
31
|
29
|
60
|
|
50
|
50
|
100
|
|
Table 12:
Control Group: Pre-Test – Post Test Score Card
Group 2:
|
Before CAL Package Administered
|
After CAL Package Administered
|
Total
|
|
|
Competency Enhanced
|
13
|
18
|
31
|
|
Competency Not Enhanced
|
37
|
32
|
69
|
|
50
|
50
|
100
|
|
On all the four instances the value
of n is 100, and there are two independent variables (Students received
CAL Package and Level of Competency enhanced), each with two categories/levels.
This is a 2 x 2 factorial design. The computational formula for a 2×2
chi-square is:
The letters a – d refer to specific
cells within the 2 x 2 contingency table. The cells associated with each letter
are listed in the table below. The value n is total frequency.
Plugging in the values associated
with each cell in the example above into the 2 x 2 chi-square expression,
we have calculated chi square values for each group(Table 13). Because
there are two rows and two columns in the 2 x 2 design of the test for each
group there is only 1 degree of freedom. If we set our alpha-level to α = .05,
the critical chi-square is 3.841.
Table 13: Chi Square Value for Each Participant Group
|
Format of Calculating Chi Square
Value …
|
|||||||||||
|
Before CAL Treatment
|
After CAL Treatment
|
||||||||||
|
Achievers
|
Non Achievers
|
Achievers
|
Non Achievers
|
Chi Square
|
|||||||
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
||||||||
|
Experimental 1
|
Table 3.4
|
13
|
37
|
31
|
19
|
13.14935065
|
|||||
|
Experimental 2
|
Table 3.5
|
16
|
34
|
36
|
14
|
16.02564103
|
|||||
|
Control 1
|
Table 3.6
|
19
|
31
|
21
|
29
|
0.166666667
|
|||||
|
Control 2
|
Table 3.7
|
13
|
37
|
18
|
32
|
1.168770453
|
|||||
Note : Degree of Freedom =
(Number of Rows-1)*(Number of
Columns – 1)
The obtained chi-square value of
Experimental Groups (13.14935065, 16.02564103) were more than the critical
value for rejection of Null Hypothesis. Therefore Null Hypothesis ( H05 )
is rejected and the H5 hypothesis is retained; hence, we would conclude
that CAL Package will influence the Competency Enhancement and Students
participating in Computer Aided Learning will improve their status in examination
and there levels of Critical Competencies will be enhanced. In case of Control
Group 1 and 2 the chi square value (0.166666667, 1.168770453) calculated below
the critical value for rejection of null hypothesis H06 hence the null
hypothesis H06 was retained and the H6 was rejected. From both the angles the
role of Computer Aided Learning in enhancing Critical Competencies were
established.
Major
Findings
In any case, questions of
superiority in outcomes may not be the only, or even most useful, ones to ask,
particularly when new materials are being developed. It may be more important
to understand how different students actually use the materials, how the
decisions they make in using them actually impact on the outcomes, and whether
learning outcomes reach acceptable levels.
Some of the major findings are as follows:
1.
We have cases where pupils are
taught to use PowerPoint presentations to set up text and pictures and one
example where 8 year-olds are independently collecting information and presenting
it in the form of their own drawings and text on the web-site of the class.
2.
A learner-centered approach is
common setting. The teacher normally will start the lesson with some input on
organization of the work, then the pupils work independently and in groups on
projects using ICT among other tools.
3.
The affordance the use of ICT offers
here is again access to more diverse learning material, presented in multimedia
and hypertext form which are perhaps likely to motivate pupil interest. The
risk of these affordances is that it is easy to duplicate texts, photos and
even sound.
4.
Although the teacher is in control
the boys are interacting with the program and actively participating in what
happens. At the end they see a drawing modeled on the screen and then
they make a drawing on a paper for themselves.
5.
ICT was mainly used in traditional
settings and the diversity of programs used was below the average of the
countries taking part. Traditional programs like word processors were more
commonly used than use of e.g. creative programs for artistic work and virtual
simulations. Lack of access to computers as well as lack of IT skills with
teachers was hindrance to use.
6.
While what has to be learnt should
ideally decide the choice of transfer tasks, the tutorial tasks may affect
their difficulty, which depends in part on the degree to which the students
perceive the original and transfer tasks to be similar. Both the students’
characteristics, e.g., prior knowledge, and their learning activities during
the tutorial itself would be expected to affect their actual performance on the
transfer tasks.
7.
Learning activities refer to the
overt and covert actions students actually take. Overt actions include the
decisions taken by the students as they progress towards a solution of the cell
construction, in this case made observable by use of a computer generated audit
trail. Covert actions include strategy formation, reflection, the degree of
challenge, satisfaction, and enthusiasm for the task students experienced, and
the amount of effort that they thought was required to complete the tutorial.
Student strategies may include guessing or discovering by active trial and
error the pathways that describe the mechanism of gastric acid secretion but
not necessarily discovering or using the underlying principles that explain
these pathways.
Value
of Chi Square in experimental sample exceeded the critical value of chi-square
at 0.01 level of significance. Hence the viability of the treatment
administered upon the experimental group for the purpose specified earlier is
being established. Now we can say–
a.
“Computer Aided Learning Package
will minimize the instructional gap and thereby influence the competency
achievements.”
b.
Students achieve higher score with
the help of computer, their knowledge base enhance speedily while interacting
with the machine.
c.
Critical competencies enhances with
the help of computer aided learning packages.
d.
Activity oriented curriculum
transaction gained much more attention of students, and thereby competency achievements
duly enhanced.
e.
Teachers and learners exposed to
other areas of Competencies.
f.
Computer exposed a student to
different learning environment at a moment. Choice factors worked prominently
supplemented with a guided force available within the laboratory allowing a
learner to explore different subject areas.
g.
Programmed instructions facilitated
the pace of learning of a student.
h.
Computer supplemented Content Areas
of study, books, guides, instructional programmes and many other learning and
teaching activities.
i.
Computer assisted planning of lesson
and teaching proved helpful a lot in covering the span of competency based
teaching and learning practices.
j.
Growth of Primary
Reinforcement influenced greatly by the process
of Computer Aided Learning.
Conclusion
and Recommendations
It can be concluded that the purpose of the research activity appeared with a
positive result by examining the effectiveness of Computer Aided Learning
Packages in enhancing Critical Competencies of participant learners. Benefits
and limitations of Computer Aided Learning were presented separately. For
availing benefits we shall remain at our standpoint for regulating some of the
demerits by any suitable instructional strategies. First risk factor of the
research was early exposure of teenagers on internet, chatting and abuse of
conferencing. It can be avoided by implying parental care software for
screening the content and switching the system off after any kind of recorded
abuse.
Teachers can involve themselves in collaborative learning and can
simultaneously observe the progress of students using CAL facility. Wikipedia
and some other online dictionaries, bibliographies present meanings and
definitions by Word, these can be utilized for knowledge enrichment purposes.
Expectation further pointed toward the skills and competence of a teacher for
ensuring successful utilization of aforesaid online learning and instructional
tools. Access to most of the online instructional tools are free, hence the
subject of the cost effectiveness of internet for guided learning were dropped
from the study. CAL can enhance critical competencies, it can minimize the gap
of real world situation and theoretical assumptions of books by exposing
students in different learning-teaching challenges.
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