Using a Computerised Graphics Package to Achieve

Policy Futures in Education Volume 7 Number 4 2009 www.wwwords.co.uk/PFIE

Using a Computerised Graphics Package to Achieve a Technology-Oriented Classroom FRANCISCA ALADEJANA & LANRE IDOWU Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria ABSTRACT The present situation in Nigeria involves students of fine arts, a practicaloriented subject, being exposed to poor methods of teaching with consequent poor performances. This study examined the extent to which the use of a computerised graphics package could make the classroom technology-oriented and affect the performance of learners. This is predicated on the theoretical frameworks of constructivism and Gagne’s learning theory. The research design is the pretest-posttest control group design. The research instruments are the Graphic Design Achievement Test designed from the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test and CorelDraw 10. They were administered to 60 junior secondary school students selected using stratified random sampling. The results show a significant difference in the performance of students exposed to the computerised graphics package as those exposed to the computerised graphics package performed significantly better in graphics than those exposed to the conventional teaching methods. Introduction The teacher’s responsibility of educating and developing the young is a challenging job that goes beyond imparting knowledge. The role of the teacher has changed and continues to change from being an instructor to becoming a constructor, facilitator, coach, and creator of learning environments. The typical teacher’s role has to change from that of a disseminator of information to a facilitator of learning (UBUYACAR, 2008). According to UNESCO (2008), it is no longer sufficient for teachers to impart content knowledge, but they have to encourage higher levels of cognitive skills, promote information literacy, and nurture collaborative working practices. All this is greatly facilitated by the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in teaching. With the advent of technology, the new role of teachers is a key issue in connection with the use of new technology. They should help learners to discover, formulate, and clarify their own purposes (Aladejana, 2006). They have to facilitate the management of students’ learning styles using the instructional process (Buch & Bartley, 2002; Aladejana & Aladejana, 2005). According to the Student Development Centre (2005), the learning style, also known as learning preference, describes how an individual learns best. It involves the preferred method of taking in, organising, and making sense of information. Managing people’s learning styles ensures effective learning, especially when the strategies used are closely matched with the preferred learning style. Three identified learning preferences are auditory, visual, and kinaesthetic. The kinaesthetic style, which involves learning by doing, has been found to be very effective. One major way of enhancing students’ learning by addressing learning styles is through the use of technology (Carver et al, 1999). The influence of technology becomes important when considered in relation to the learning style of learners (Young et al, 2003). Since the formal introduction of fine arts education by Kenneth Murray into the Nigeria educational system, the subject has not been given adequate recognition in the school curriculum. In Osun State, Nigeria, for instance, the government at one time sacked most secondary school fine

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Francisca Aladejana & Lanre Idowu arts teachers, with most of the schools having no well-equipped studios, qualified teachers, and instructional facilities for effective teaching (Adeyanju, 2003). As a consequence, learners are often exposed to poor methods of teaching. Students generally shy away from fine arts classes because in their own perception they are not very good at drawing and calligraphy. The learning of fine arts, a practical-oriented subject, in secondary schools has been beset with serious problems and challenges (Rush, 1985; Orisawiyi, 2000). It cannot be learned in isolation but requires interactions between teacher and students, students and students, and between students and materials. The depth of content to be covered as a separate school subject in the curriculum is enormous for the number of periods allocated to it, as a result of which the theoretical aspects are mostly emphasised, neglecting the acquisition of necessary skills and practical experiences (Ogunduyile et al, 2008). According to the Chief Examiner’s report of the West African Examination Councils (Owokade, 2006), students perform poorly and are deficient in the practical aspects of fine arts such as graphics. The present situation in Nigeria, in which learners are exposed to poor methods of teaching, may not be unconnected to the recorded poor academic performances of learners (Aladejana, 2006). One possible area that could be applied to solve learners’ problems in fine arts is the use of instructional media. Instructional media are channels of communication through which teaching and learning can take place and which can promote students’ interest in learning. Some examples of such media are: real objects and models, printed texts (books, handouts, worksheets), printed visuals (pictures, photographs, drawings, charts, graphs), display boards (chalk, bulletin, multipurpose), interactive whiteboards, overhead transparencies, slides and filmstrips, audio media (tape, disc, voice), video and films (tapes and DVDs) and voice television (live), computer software, and the Internet. The use of media provides instructional effectiveness, especially when information is difficult to explain verbally, where specific procedures must be performed, and when exact interpretation of information is necessary. The effective use of instructional media will not only illustrate the instructor’s concept to the trainee but will also add emphasis to essential points. According to Abdelraheem & Al-Rabane (2005), educational experiences involving the learner actively participating in concrete examples are retained longer than abstract experiences. Instructional media add elements of reality by providing such concrete examples. Also, instructional media can be used variously to gain learners’ attention, recall prerequisites, present objectives and new content to learners, elicit student response, enhance retention, and transfer as well as assess performance. With the current trends in computer use, students can easily produce good lettering, changing the colour as well as the font of text to their taste without any problems. The problem of poor drawing and calligraphy can be addressed with the use of computerised graphics packages, thereby instilling in the learner the confidence to approach the design task. Aladejana & Idowu (2006, pp. 25-28) found positive attitudes to the use of ICT in teaching and learning in Nigerian schools. Ardil (2003) provides a broad description of an interactive learning environment in the sense that a person can navigate through it, select relevant information, and respond to questions using computer input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, or voice command system in order to solve problems, complete challenging tasks, create knowledge representations, collaborate with others nearby or at a distance, or otherwise engage in meaningful learning activities. The learning environment of a classroom assisted by instructional technology is radically different from one without technology. According to Fraser (1993), the effective management of the learning environment by the teacher can serve to improve classroom activities. It would be practically impossible to improve or develop vocational technical education (VTE) programmes without an adequate application of information technology. This is because VTE involves that aspect of education which leads to the acquisition of practical and applied skills as well as basic scientific knowledge. VTE involves instruction which is generally given to those who will be employed in commerce and industry, or in any type of enterprise that involves the use of tools and other machinery for carrying out its services. The introduction of information technology in VTE within the last five years has contributed positively to the training and development of students in our various institutions of learning in Nigeria. Indeed, although Nigeria is still a developing country, two of the four VTE objectives, as

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Using a Computerised Graphics Package in the Classroom stated in the National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, p. 39), are to train people who can apply scientific knowledge to the improvement and solution of environmental problems for the use and convenience of man, and to enable young men and women to have an intelligent understanding of the increasing complexity of technology. A technology-oriented classroom can be used as a tool to overcome the traditional isolation of the classroom setting (Braun, 1997) and improve overall productivity (Saye, 1998). While some researchers have argued that there is no direct link between learning and the use of ICT (DeCorte, 1990), the weight of evidence now clearly shows that indirectly there can be a significant positive impact (Schacter, 1999; Newhouse, 2002, pp. 8-15). Effective instructional design can positively influence academic performance (Daniel, 1993). This study was therefore designed to examine the extent to which a technology-oriented classroom using a computerised graphics package can affect the performance of learners. The study tested the hypothesis that there will be no significant difference in the performance of learners exposed to a computerised graphics package and those exposed to conventional teaching methods. Theoretical Framework This study is based on the premises that computer-assisted learning provides the active participation and hands-on experience that learners require to construct meaningful learning and that the unique differences which exist in the way learners perceive, think, respond to others, and react to their environment – all of which constitute the cognitive style – can influence learning. These assumptions are rooted in the theoretical frameworks of constructivism and Gagne’s learning theory. Gagne’s learning theory stipulates that there are different types of learning. The significance of these classifications is that each of the different types of learning requires different types of instruction. Gagne identified five major categories of learning: verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive styles, motor skills, and attitude (Gagne, 1965). According to Gagne, different internal and external conditions are necessary for each type of learning. For example, for cognitive styles to be learned, there must be a chance to practise newly developed solutions to problems. From Gagne’s point of view, learning must be carried out in a hierarchical form; that is, from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract. This is the approach that this exercise followed with regard to learning computer graphics in fine arts. The study is also predicated on the theoretical framework of constructivism, a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. According to the constructivist view, meaningful learning is a cognitive process in which individuals make sense of the world in relation to the knowledge which they have already constructed, and this sense-making process involves active negotiation and consensus-building (Wilson, 1996; Clouse & Nelson, 2000; Huitt, 2003). According to Dede (2005), shifts in students’ learning style will prompt a shift to active construction of knowledge through mediated immersion. Methodology The research design is the pretest-posttest control group design. The target population consisted of all junior secondary school students from 10 homogenous schools in south-west Nigeria. The samples for the study were 60 Junior Secondary 3 (JS3) students drawn from 10 schools which were selected using a stratified sampling technique from a total of 35 secondary schools. The availability of computers and fine arts teachers for a minimum period of five years was used as a stratum in the sampling procedure. The research instruments are the Graphic Design Achievement Test (GDAT) designed from the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test and CorelDraw 10. The 64-item Minnesota Paper Form Board Test measures the ability to visualise and mentally manipulate two-dimensional shapes, (Likert and Quasha, 1981). The GDAT is a multi-choice 20-item questionnaire based on elements and principles of design, which measured the cognitive ability of the students in theories of fine arts and the graphics package. CorelDRAW 10 was used to measure students’ psychomotor ability in

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Francisca Aladejana & Lanre Idowu the areas of the use of colour and other elements of design. The GDAT has a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.78. The 60 JS3 students selected using stratified random sampling were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Both the experimental and the control group were subjected to the pretest and posttest using the GDAT. The students were taught about the elements of design, principles of design, and design materials. The materials used with the control group were the physical materials, while the experimental group was exposed to the tools on the computer. There was also a practical demonstration and teaching of the use of Corel Screen (the computer package) and the use of a computer to produce a design using the CorelDRAW 10 package. The experimental group was thus exposed to a computerised graphics package, while the control group was taught using conventional teaching methods. The GDAT was re-administered to the two groups as a posttest. The data analysis employed inferential statistics (t-test of significant differences of means of scores). Results and Discussion We tested the following hypothesis: there will be no significant difference in the performance of learners exposed to a computerised graphics package and those exposed to conventional teaching methods. The results of the pretest are presented in Table I. The results presented in Table I show that there was no significant difference in the performance of students in graphics before they were exposed to the pretest (x1 = 27.13, x2 = 22.95, df = 19, tc = 1.13). This shows that the students involved in the study were homogeneous with respect to knowledge of graphics before the pretest commenced. Group

n

X

SD

Computerised (Experimental) Conventional (Control)

40

27.13

11.71

22.95

14.34

20

df

tc (t-value calculated)

tt (t-value table)

Remark

19

1.13

2.09

Not significant

p < .05. Table I. t-test of pretest scores of students exposed to a computerised graphics package and those exposed to conventional teaching methods.

The results presented in Table II show a significant difference in the performance of the students exposed to the computerised graphics package and those exposed to conventional teaching methods (x1 = 47.53, x2 = 38.45, df = 19, tc = 2.52). This shows that students who were exposed to the computerised graphics package performed significantly better in graphics than those who were exposed to conventional teaching methods. Therefore, the null hypothesis generated was rejected. The analysis of data has therefore shown that there is a change in learners’ ability for drawing and calligraphy resulting in change in performance based on the use of computerised or conventional teaching methods. Thus, exposure to computerised graphic package is therefore more likely to improve performance in Fine Arts than the conventional teaching method. This is contrary to the findings of DeCorte (1990) but agrees with the findings of Schacter (1999) and Newhouse (2002, pp. 8-15). Group

n

X

SD

Computerised (Experimental Group) Conventional (Control Group)

20

47.53

14.71

40

38.45

9.37

df

tc (t-value calculated)

tt (t-value table)

Remark

19

2.52

2.09

Significant

p < .05. Table II. T-test of posttest scores of students exposed to a computerised graphics package and those exposed to conventional teaching methods.

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Using a Computerised Graphics Package in the Classroom The findings are of particular significance in the Nigerian setting, where the use of technology in teaching is still relatively unexplored as a result of many identified problems. The implications of the findings are that there is the need to resolve the various problems militating against the use of technology and integrate technology into the classroom in such a way as to make learning more activity-oriented and effective, as well as improve acquisition of practical skills and academic performance. References Abdelraheem, A.Y. & Al-Rabane, A.H. (2005) Utilisation and Benefits of Instructional Media in Teaching Social Studies Courses as Perceived by Omani Students, Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology, 2(1). http://myais.fsktm.um.edu.my/1674/ Adeyanju, J.L. (2003) Teachers’ Perception of the Effects and Use of Learning Aids in Teaching: a case study of Winneba basic and secondary schools, Ultibase, November. http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/Articles/nov03/adeyanju1.htm Aladejana, F.O. (2006) Concept of Teaching I, in O.J. Ehindero & F.O. Aladejana (Eds) Introduction to the Teaching Profession, 12-19. Lagos: Literamed Publications Nigeria. Aladejana, F.O. & Aladejana, A.I. (2005) Leadership in Education: the place of Nigerian women, International Studies in Educational Administration, 33(2), 69-75. Aladejana, F.O. & Idowu, L. (2006) ICT in Teaching and Learning. The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Experience, in Conference Proceedings, eLearning Africa, 1st International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training, UNCC, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 24-26 May. Ardil, C. (2003) Creating an Interactive and Collaborative e-Learning Environment in Educational Processes, Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 4(3). http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde11/articles/ardil.htm Braun, J. (1997) Past, Possibilities, and Potholes on the Information Superhighway, Social Education, 61(3), 49-153. Buch, K. & Bartley, S. (2002) Learning Style and Training Delivery Mode Preference, Journal of Workplace Learning, 14(1), 5-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13665620210412795 Carver, C.A., Howard, R.A. & Lane, W.D. (1999) Enhancing Student Learning through Hypermedia Courseware and Incorporation of Student Learning Styles, IEEE Transactions on Education, 42(1), 33-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/13.746332 Clouse, R.W. & Nelson, H.E. (2000) School Reform, Constructed Learning, and Educational Technology, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 28(4), 289-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/F3KM-VNMK-W28C-UAXV Daniel, H.J. (1993) Achievement Expectancies as Predictors of Academic Performance, International Journal of Instructional Media, 20(3), 213-223. DeCorte, E. (1990) Learning with New Information Technologies in Schools: perspectives from the psychology of learning and instruction, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 6(2), 69-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.1990.tb00350.x Dede, C. (2005) Constructivism and Learning, Educause Quarterly, 28(1), 7-12. http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EQM0511.pdf Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) National Policy on Education. Lagos: NERDC (Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council) Press. Fraser, B.J. (1993) Assessing and Improving Classroom Environment, in B.J. Fraser (Ed.) Research Implications for Science and Mathematics Teachers. Perth: Curtin University of Technology. Gagne, R. (1965) The Conditions of Learning. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Huitt, W. (2003) Constructivism, Educational Psychology Interactive, Valdosta State University. http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/construct.html Likert, R. & Quasha, W.H. (1981) Minnesota Paper Form Board Test – Revised. http://shop.acer.edu.au/acer-shop/group/TT/11%3Bjsessionid....... Newhouse, C.P. (2002) The Impact of ICT on Learning and Teaching. Perth: Specialist Educational Services. Ogunduyile, S.R., Kayode, F. & Ojo, B. (2008) Art and Design Practices in Nigeria: the problem of dropping out, International Journal of Education and the Arts, 9(4), 9 June. http://www.ijea.org/v9n4/

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FRANCISCA ALADEJANA is Associate Professor of Science Education, former Director of the Institute of Education, and current Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Dr Aladejana’s research interests include science education, genetics, and gender studies. Correspondence: Francisca Aladejana, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria ([email protected]). LANRE IDOWU is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Educational Technology in the Faculty of Education at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is currently studying for a PhD in educational technology. Correspondence: Lanre Idowu, Department of Educational Technology, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria ([email protected]).

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