Computer-assisted instruction plus ? equals Earth science learning outcomes:: Three case studies

This paper summarizes three companion Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) case studies in a series for the last several years. These studies were designed to investigate a various of impacts of an Earth Science Computer-Assisted Tutorial (ESCAT), developed by the research team, on students' Earth science achievement and their attitudes toward Earth science in senior high schools. The pretest-posttest control-group experimental design was adopted by all the three studies. Quantitative data were collected on students' pre- and post-treatment achievement and attitudes toward Earth science measures. The multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that (a) the ESCAT has its promise; (b) the "problem-solving" design of the ESCAT is generally better than the "non-problem-solving" design of the ESCAT; and (c) the "teacher-directed" ESCAT seems producing statistically greater student gains than the "student-controlled" ESCAT These findings suggested that instruction, such as the ESCAT, should be more broadly developed and widely employed in the secondary earth science classrooms.