A comparison of the effect of instructional objectives on the achievement of community college students who study elementary microeconomics under two modes of instruction /

Abstract

Conclusions. The findings based on the two sets of test data were mixed. Student achievement, measured by the TUCE scores, was significantly increased by the instructional objective treatment; but a significant difference did not exist according to an analysis of the teacher-made test scores. Student achievement, measured by the teacher-made test scores, was significantly increased by conventional classroom instruction; but a significant difference did not exist according to an analysis of the TUCE scores. An analysis of the TUCE scores indicated that student achievement was significantly increased by the use of instructional objectives with programmed instruction.

Purpose. The major purpose of this study was to discover if specific instructional objectives are more effective in terms of student achievement in elementary microeconomics when used with programmed instruction or conventional instruction.

One implication of this investigation is that a variety of instructional modes should be offered to the economics student. The student should be encouraged to match instructional methodology to preferential learning patterns.

Two testing instruments were administered to measure student achievement: (1) the Revised Test of Understanding in College Economics, and (2) a teacher-made test.

Procedures. The experiment was conducted at Oscar Rose Junior College, Midwest City, Oklahoma, during the spring semester, 1982. The subjects were 88 students in four sections of Principles of Microeconomics. Each section was randomly assigned to an instructional method and to an experimental treatment or control category. The experimental treatment consisted of distributing study-related lists of instructional objectives. The instructor showed the students how to incorporate the objectives into their study routine, frequently demonstrated the relevancy of the objectives to classroom activities and study assignments, and purposely pointed out the relationship between the objectives and the questions on unit tests.

Method of Analysis. Six major hypotheses were tested. Analysis of covariance was performed on the post-test scores of the TUCE test and the teacher-made test; GPA scores were used as the covariate representing prior academic achievement. Eight subhypotheses were tested; Duncan's Multiple Range Test as performed on the groups means.