The effectiveness of applying structured writing principles to facilitate recall of complex training materials

Doris Choy, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine if the application of structured writing principles to the developmental process of complex diversity training materials facilitated training and improved learners' performance in recalling the content. It was hypothesized that structured writing principles would improve the overall effectiveness of the training material. The post-test only experimental design was used in the study to collect data from 166 participants in an undergraduate hospitality management course. The participants were placed into three different groups and received training from three different formats of diversity training materials. These groups were: (1) the prose writing material, (2) the original structured writing material and (3) the revised structured writing material. Upon the completion of reading the materials, participants completed the 32-item multiple choice post-test. After analyzing the data by one way analysis of variance, the results showed there were significant differences between the post-test scores of the three groups. The average scores of group one, two and three were 19.23, 21.67 and 23.46 respectively from a total possible score of 32 in the post-test. Participants from group three, the revised structured writing material group, performed significantly better than group two, the original structured writing material group, and group one, the prose writing material. Participants from group two, the original structured writing material group performed significantly better than group one, the prose writing material. Therefore, all the hypotheses of this study were supported. The results of the study suggested that implementing structured writing principles in the complex training materials facilitate the learning of participants and their recall abilities.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Newby, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Educational software|Curricula|Teaching

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