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Effects of practical experience and sequential skills on achievements in map reading for secondary one pupils in Singapore
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Type
Thesis
Author
Liaw, Beng Teck
Supervisor
Plant, Eric
Seng, Alice Seok-Hoon
Abstract
This research was an investigation of the separate and combined influences of curriculum structure and teaching procedures on academic achievements. The main thrust of the study was to consider the effects of practical experience and sequential arrangement of relevant skills on map reading achievements of Secondary One pupils in Singapore. A measure of retention was also made to consider what impact these factors had on the subsequent map reading activities of the pupils.
The research design was a quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design with multiple treatments. In this inquiry, four treatment groups were used in order to consider the two important aspects of practical experience and curriculum sequence. For this purpose, the treatments according to groups were :
Treatment One in which a hierarchical sequence of curriculum structure with a practical-learning approach to map reading was used.
Treatment Two employed the hierarchical sequence but this was combined with a direct-teaching approach.
Treatment Three had no specific sequential structure of lessons and was combined with practical-learning approach to map reading.
Treatment Four used the non-specific structure together with direct-teaching approach.
A sample of pupils was drawn from four secondary one express classes in a government secondary school. Each class was randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups. A total of 144 pupils, with an equal number of boys and girls, participated in the experiment. Their ages ranged from 12+ to 13+.
Instruction consisted of eight weeks of teaching with two lessons of thirty-five minutes each per week. All the treatment groups covered the same content on mapping and map reading, which is a common unit for secondary one pupils in Singapore. The lessons were carefully designed for each treatment and taught by only one teacher to reduce teacher variability. These were monitored by the researcher.
Three measures of the pupil performance on map skills were taken :
A pretest to ascertain entry behaviour,
A posttest to consider the treatment effects,
A further posttest given after a delay of two weeks to consider the retention and impact of the four treatments.
Test instruments for the three measures were :
A criterion-referenced test which consisted of twenty-five items, covering important skills in map reading, such as direction, reference system, distance and scale, symbols, contour and map reading. This same instrument was used for both the pretest and the posttest.
A retention test instrument was used for the delayed posttest. It also consisted of twenty-five multiple-choice items of equivalent difficulty to the criterion reference test.
Data obtained from the tests were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Turkey's studentised range (HSD) test. The findings showed that the hierarchical sequence of curriculum structure combined with practical-learning approach had a significant positive effect on pupils' map reading skills. This was manifest in the immediate posttest and also in the delayed posttest taken two weeks after the posttest.
These findings demonstrate the importance of practical experience and sequential skills in improving pupils' achievement in map reading. The results provide further evidence to suggest that the acquisition of map skills should be done through systematic progression and practical experience rather than through a non-sequential direct-teaching approach.
The research design was a quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design with multiple treatments. In this inquiry, four treatment groups were used in order to consider the two important aspects of practical experience and curriculum sequence. For this purpose, the treatments according to groups were :
Treatment One in which a hierarchical sequence of curriculum structure with a practical-learning approach to map reading was used.
Treatment Two employed the hierarchical sequence but this was combined with a direct-teaching approach.
Treatment Three had no specific sequential structure of lessons and was combined with practical-learning approach to map reading.
Treatment Four used the non-specific structure together with direct-teaching approach.
A sample of pupils was drawn from four secondary one express classes in a government secondary school. Each class was randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups. A total of 144 pupils, with an equal number of boys and girls, participated in the experiment. Their ages ranged from 12+ to 13+.
Instruction consisted of eight weeks of teaching with two lessons of thirty-five minutes each per week. All the treatment groups covered the same content on mapping and map reading, which is a common unit for secondary one pupils in Singapore. The lessons were carefully designed for each treatment and taught by only one teacher to reduce teacher variability. These were monitored by the researcher.
Three measures of the pupil performance on map skills were taken :
A pretest to ascertain entry behaviour,
A posttest to consider the treatment effects,
A further posttest given after a delay of two weeks to consider the retention and impact of the four treatments.
Test instruments for the three measures were :
A criterion-referenced test which consisted of twenty-five items, covering important skills in map reading, such as direction, reference system, distance and scale, symbols, contour and map reading. This same instrument was used for both the pretest and the posttest.
A retention test instrument was used for the delayed posttest. It also consisted of twenty-five multiple-choice items of equivalent difficulty to the criterion reference test.
Data obtained from the tests were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Turkey's studentised range (HSD) test. The findings showed that the hierarchical sequence of curriculum structure combined with practical-learning approach had a significant positive effect on pupils' map reading skills. This was manifest in the immediate posttest and also in the delayed posttest taken two weeks after the posttest.
These findings demonstrate the importance of practical experience and sequential skills in improving pupils' achievement in map reading. The results provide further evidence to suggest that the acquisition of map skills should be done through systematic progression and practical experience rather than through a non-sequential direct-teaching approach.
Date Issued
1985
Call Number
GA102.7 Lia
Date Submitted
1985