NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ957914
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1933-8341
EISSN: N/A
Multimedia Technology and Students' Achievement in Geography
DaSilva, Edmar Bernardes; Kvasnak, Robb Neil
Geography Teacher, v9 n1 p18-25 2012
In this study done at a community college in South Florida, the achievements of students who spoke English as their second language who had attended their K-12 education outside the United States in their home countries, in a U.S. college course on world geography are compared with the achievements of students in the same classes who spoke English as their first language and who had attended their K-12 education in U.S. schools. It is important to mention that 25% of the students who had attended their K-12 education in U.S. schools in this research were taking college classes at the same time they were studying at high school. In order to help level the playing field for both groups of students, the courses, which were 29 classes each, were taught in a classroom setting using visual computerized technology including PowerPoint presentations, DVDs, virtual fieldtrips, and online exploration of geographic data to explain all points of pedagogical interest instead of relying solely on direct instruction based on the textbooks used for these classes. Attendance was taken orally by the researcher for each class and these attendance sheets were the basis for determining student participation. Only students who attended all or all but one of the classes were included in the study. One of the important components of this study was the exposure of the students to highly visual and, hence, contextual, classroom lessons. The results of this research show no significant difference between the rates of achievement of the two groups, a resounding success in and of itself, given the difference in language proficiency levels of non-U.S.- and U.S.-educated students, although there are two interesting anomalies. There are very slight, non-statistically significant indications of superior achievement by the non-U.S.-educated students in human geography, cartography, and overall scores, and very slight, non-statistically significant indications of superior achievement by the U.S.-educated students in physical geography. (Contains 2 tables.)
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A