Comparison of a Computer Assisted Instructional Unit and a Programmed Text Format for Teaching Latin and Greek Derivatives to Conditionally Enrolled University Students

Abstract

The Problem. The purpose of this study was to compare a computer assisted instruction mode with a programed text mode for teaching Latin and Greek derivatives to conditionally enrolled university students. Procedures. The eighty three students of Drake University's fall 1982 Transitional Services Program were the subjects for this investigation. Students were randomly assigned to the two treatment groups. Treatment One learned Latin roots and prefixes by the programmed mode and the Greek portion of the unit by the computer mode. Treatment Two studied the Latin roots and prefixes by the computer mode and the Greek portion of the unit by the programmed mode. The content of instruction was identical for these two groups; they differed only in sequence of mode. Student characteristics relating to personality types and learning styles were examined in relationship to both achievement and attitude toward mode of instruction. Data was collected from six measurement instruments: the Slosson Intelligence Test, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Learning Styles Inventory, a semantic differential and Latin and Greek pre-posttests. Findings. The data reveal no differences in achievement between the two treatments. Subjects using both CAI and PT did not achieve higher posttest scores in either mode. There was a significant difference beyond the .0l level in attitude toward CAI, favoring the CAI mode, but this did not result in significantly greater achievement. Analyzing differences in learning style and personality type did not reveal differences in either achievement or attitude. Conclusions. The results of this research suggest that CAI is at least as effective as PT for teaching Latin and Greek derivatives. When both instructional modes are available, student attitude should be considered in planning learning strategies. Recommendations. Further research should be conducted with these modes of instruction, specifically regarding the use of an audio component to enhance the learning strategies. The relationship between visual and audio media would provide additional information concerning the effectiveness of electronical devices. Additional investigation of personality types and learning styles is needed to examine how these student characteristics relate to learning.