International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 10, No. 4 (2014)

The effect of computer based instructional technique for the learning of elementary level mathematics among high, average and low achievers

Muhammad Tanveer Afzal, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Bashir Muhammad Gondal, Punjab Examination Commission, Pakistan
Nuzhat Fatima, IMCG Korang Town, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract
The major objective of the study was to elicit the effect of three instructional methods for teaching of mathematics on low, average and high achiever elementary school students. Three methods: traditional instructional method, computer assisted instruction (CAI) and teacher facilitated mathematics learning software were employed for the teaching of three chapters of six class mathematics textbook (Integers, Algebra and Geometry). Interactive software was developed, using the contents of these three chapters. Two urban and two rural schools were selected containing a male and a female school. Seventy eight students from each of the four randomly selected schools were randomly selected and assigned in to three groups. On the basis of pre-test the students were identified as low, average and high achievers. After the treatment a post test was conducted. The score of the students were analyzed that revealed teacher facilitated mathematics instructional method produced better score when compared with CAI and traditional instructional methods of teaching mathematics for low and average achievers, but no significant difference was observed between instructional techniques for high achievers. It raises the questions; why instructional techniques not affected the high achievers scores? What kind of provisions may be added in the next version of the instructional software?

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