The effect of a computer-based program on the achievement and oral communication skills of Jordanian University students in English

Other Title(s)

أثر برنامج محوسب في تعليم اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية على تحصيل الطلبة الجامعيين الأردنيين و تنمية مهاراتهم الشفوية

Dissertant

al-Safadi, Rafat Rafiq Abd al-Latif

Thesis advisor

al-Duwayk, Badr Said

Comitee Members

Shair, Awatif Ali
al-Jadri, Adnan Husayn
al-Sharah, Nail D.

University

Amman Arab University

Faculty

Faculty of Educational Sciences and psychological

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

University Country

Jordan

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Date

2007

English Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of using the computer as a teaching aid on both the achievement of students and on the oral communication skills of students at beginner and intermediate levels in the field of EFL.

The study sought to answer whether there were significant differences between the experimental and control groups Using computers in teaching and learning is so diverse that it was given so many names.

Al Far (2002) gives examples of Salisbury’s 1.

at the beginner and intermediate levels in their achievement that can be attributed to the use of computer software, and 2.

at the beginner and intermediate levels in their oral communication skills that can be attributed to the use of computer software. The participants in the study were purposively selected from first year students at the University of Jordan.

Four intact sections were chosen: two classes at the beginner level and two classes at the intermediate level.

The sections were assigned to the experimental and control groups randomly.

The experimental group from each level was taught with the help of the computer software prepared for that level, while the control groups did the exercises in the book in the traditional way.

To fulfill the goals of this study, the researcher designed and prepared two computer-based instructional programs.

These PowerPoint programs were based on the units in the textbooks that were taught to both groups: control and experimental.

Moreover, three instruments were used.

The first was a twenty-five multiple-choice-item test for each level and was used as a pretest and post-test.

The second was a listening text with twenty questions.

The third was the oral presentations with assessment criteria to evaluate the students’ presentations.

Content validity and reliability of the tests and the computer programs were established. The Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) was used to analyze the collected data and find any significant statistical differences between the mean scores of the experimental and control groups.

Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test if there were any significant differences between the achievement of the experimental and control groups at the beginner and intermediate levels to find the effect of the computer program on the students’ achievement and on their oral communication skills. The findings revealed that: 1.

There were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at the beginner level in their achievement that could be attributed to the method of teaching, in favor of the experimental group. 2.

There were no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at the intermediate level in their achievement. 3.

There were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at the beginner and intermediate levels in their oral communication skills that could be attributed to the method of teaching, in favor of the experimental groups. In light of the findings of this study, the researcher recommended that Computer-based programs be used as teaching aids in teaching English and specifically, oral skills.

Teachers need to be trained to prepare their own software based on the textbooks and the needs of their students.

Finally, more instructional software research should be encouraged.

More research is needed on the use of computer software to improve oral skills at the university level.

Programs that are prepared and tested need to be prepared by EFL teachers with the help of instructional technology staff.

Main Subjects

Educational Sciences
Languages & Comparative Literature

Topics

• Education
• Higher education
• Learning
• Second language learning
• Jordan
• English language

No. of Pages

232

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-436493