The effect of cognitive style and learner control on five performance variables and attitudes in an interactive video training program
Abstract
The problem investigated in this study was the effect of cognitive style and degree of learner control on the performance and attitudes of subjects in an interactive video training program. The effects of cognitive style and varying degrees of learner control within the program on photography were studied. Cognitive style in this case referred to field orientation which was set at two levels: field-dependence and field-independence. The Group Embedded Figures Test was used as the measure of cognitive style. Degree of learner control was set at three levels: learner control, guided, and program control. Six dependent variables were observed; five were performance variables and the other was attitude. The five performance variables were: subject performance, time-on-task, selection of options, requests for assistance, and retention test score. An attitude scale of 12 items was used to measure attitudes toward interactive video, amount of learner control allowed, personal performance, and general feelings about the lesson as a whole. The study involved 84 volunteers from a population of undergraduates enrolled in an undergraduate educational psychology course at Purdue University. The final sample included 54 subjects, selected on the basis of their cognitive style and then randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups. Results showed that instructional treatment was responsible for performance differences in the time-on-task and selection of options variables, as well as selected attitude measures. Cognitive style was responsible for differences in time-on-task and requests for assistance variables, as well as selected attitude items. There were, however, no indications of an interaction effect for any of the dependent measures.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Lehman, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Educational software
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