Experimental Research

Research Area
To investigate the effects of using CD-ROM textbooks for instruction on the achievement and cognition-level attainment of primary four students.

Problem
Nowadays, many teachers depend on using the CD-ROM textbooks in the lesson. They think using CD-ROM textbooks make the lesson more interesting and fun so it will improve the students’ learning attitude in the lesson. It will be helpful to gain a deeper understanding on whether the use of the CD-Rom textbooks as an instruction tool has a positive effect on student attainment as compared to the traditional paper-based textbooks.

Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in improvement in students’ achievement and cognition-level attainment between using CD-ROM textbook and using traditional textbook.

Selection of Participants
To control the factor of education attainment of students among different classes, the target school will be so selected to ensure no banding effect among classes. The overall rankings of students, if any, in the final examination of the previous year can be used as an indicator.
4 classes of primary 4 students (N=140) are selected as the study group. Two of the 4 classes of students (N=68) is randomly selected by the researcher via coin toss to serve as the experimental group receiving CD-ROM textbook integration. The remaining two classes (N=62) served as the control group and are taught general science content utilizing a traditional textbook.

Research Plan
Comparison of two different approaches－two classes will use CD-ROM textbook and the other two classes will use traditional textbook.
This study is classified a ‘true experimental research design, posttest only control group design’.

Execution of the Research Plan
Step 1: Selection of the participants as the experimental group, Group A and the control group, Group B.
Step 2: During 16 weeks, Group A students are taught general science subject content utilizing a CD-ROM textbook. Group B students are taught the same subject content utilizing a traditional textbook.
Step 3: In the 17th week, both group students are participated in general science subject examination.

Analysis of data
Use t-test to compare the experimental group to control group. The hypothesis is tested at the .05 level of significance.

The difference in means between different classes subject to the same experimental treatment, either CD-ROM or traditional paper-based textbooks, will be compared the scale of the intra-group and inter-group differences.

Implication
If the learning outcome of the students using the CD-ROM textbooks on instruction has positive effect on students attainment and cognition level, schools and educators can exert more policy influence on pedagogical design along this direction.