The effect of computer-assisted instruction versus traditional instruction on achievement in principles of Accounting I at the junior/community college level.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if computer-assisted instruction was more effective than traditional instruction in the teaching of accounting principles classes at the junior/community college level. Sixty-three (l~=63) junior/ community college students enrolled in the Principles of Accounting I course at Colby Community College at Colby, Kansas, during the fall semester of the 1979-80 academic year acted as subjects in the study. Pretest-posttest achievement gain scores were used to test the null hypothesis concerning student achievement and summary Using a two-way ANOVA, the results indicated that the two groups, the computer-assioted group (experimental) and the traditional group (control), were not significantly different in the existing variables at the time of the study. A two-tailed 1-score was used to test the null hypothesis concerning the two student groups' posttest scores. The results of testing this null hypothesis was that neither the experimental group nor the control group had significantly greater gains in achievement on the posttest. Conclusions There is no significant difference between the posttest scores of accounting students using the computer-assisted instruction method and the posttest scores of accounting students using the traditional instruction method. Recommendations: 1. A similar experiment should be conducted using a larger number of subjects to determine if the same results would be obtained. The results of such a study would increase the generalizability of the findings. 2. Additional research should be conducted matching students by ability levels. The difference in variances would be more accurate as they would not be attributable to something other than difference in ability.