The effects of group size and exposure time on microcomputer learning

摘要

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of manipulating group size and exposure time on achievement in a computer learning situation keeping in mind the practical constraints of limited computer resources that teachers presently face. Two hundred and fifiy-four subjects from Grades 5 and 6 were divided into groups of one, two, or four and exposed to either one half-hour, two half-hours, or three half-hours of a commercially prepared drill-and-practice microcomputer program. Analyses of covariance on three dependent measures of achievement revealed that both the covariate (a standardized score on vocabulary achievement) and exposure time were significant. Group size did not significantly affect the results. Efficiency and effectiveness concerns in microcomputer learning are addressed, as are directions for future research.