The influence of low and high level questions and reading ability on achievement in tenth grade social studies

Acharya, Smita (1977) The influence of low and high level questions and reading ability on achievement in tenth grade social studies. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of different intellectual levels of questions upon the learning of high and low reading ability students. -- Eight grade-ten history classes were selected from the Burin Peninsula Integrated School Board. Each class used the same history unit, however, treatment group 1 (T1) received high-level questions as supporting learning experience, treatment group 2 (T2) received low-level questions as supporting learning experience, and treatment group 3 (T3) received no supporting learning experience. At each treatment there were students of high and low reading ability (determined by Stanford Achievement Test, Form W). A final achievement test was constructed by the researcher and administered to all students at the end of three weeks. The test contained twenty low and twenty high level questions based on the material covered by the questions. -- The statistical procedures used to analyze the data included a 2 x 3 Analysis of Variance, and the Scheffe Method of Multiple Comparisons on the main effects, two 1 x 3 Analysis of Variances and two Scheffe Method of Multiple Comparison of simple effects. -- Analysis of the data revealed that questions are central to learning. The student s working with both high and low questions outperformed the control group. High reading ability students outperformed the Low readers. Furthermore, the high reading ability students seemed to achieve better results when working with high level questions while low reading ability students seemed to obtain best results with low level questions. Both the treatment groups did significantly better than their control group.

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