Fourth Grade Science Projects:
Traditional Presentation vs. Multimedia Presentation
AUTHORS: Lynda Frankeberger, Michelle Johnson, and Marilyn Schwartzkopf
SUBJECT: Science
GRADE: Fourth Grade
ABSTRACT:
Two statistically equivalent fourth grade classes in Metcalf Laboratory School at Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, participated in a research project, designed to compare acquisition of content knowledge, quality of work, student motivation, and time required to complete a science project. One class used IBM Linkway multimedia software to produce their research projects and supporting illustrations. The other class produced handwritten research projects and illustrations. Evaluation instruments used included the Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, the Multiple Intelligence Checklist, content pretests and posttests, a time log kept by teacher and students, and a final project holistic scoring instrument.
The results showed no significant difference in acquisition of content knowledge, quality of work, or student motivation. There was a significant difference in the time logged by each of the classes. The Linkway class required additional time to learn the multimedia software. Disregarding this training time, the Linkway class spent less time completing the project than did the class producing handwritten science projects.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Provide students an alternative method to prepare reports. 2. Provide students a basic understanding of IBM Linkway software. 3. Provide students an opportunity to explore creativity via technology. 4. Provide data that would indicate whether students write more words with fewer errors using the computer as a tool. 5. Provide data that would indicate whether students were more motivated to study and learn about a subject as a result of a different presentation tool. 6. Provide data that would indicate whether students were more efficient in their use of time when using technology as a presentation tool.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Each fourth grade classroom is equipped with five networked Model 50 IBM computers. Students used IBM's software Linkway. Students also used a Canon Xap Shot Camera to capture pictures from magazines and to take each other's picture for the last page of their multimedia projects. Instructors used the software Storyboard to digitize the pictures and save them to diskette for the students' use.
Sample Handout on Project Requirements for Linkway Folder on Space:
Construct a folder about space containing the following information: Page 1: THE SUN - OUR STAR Copy a picture of the sun from the digitized picture disk. Write a report about the sun; include the following science words in your report: star, sunspots, temperature, solar flares, solar eclipse, and corona. Add your report to Page 1 as pop-up text.
Page 2: A PLANET OF YOUR CHOICE Select any planet, except earth, from the picture disk and copy onto Page 2. Find five interesting facts about your planet, and put each fact on its own pop-up button.
Page 3: FAMOUS PERSON Select a person made famous because of something he/she has accomplished related to the space program. Using Linkway Paint, draw a scene showing an accomplishment of this person. Write a report about this person and include it using pop-up text.
Page 4: LEV Use Linkway Paint to design your own LEV. Use pop-up buttons to label and briefly explain its parts and functions.
Page 5: CREDITS PAGE Insert a picture of yourself from the picture disk. Give yourself credit as the author of this folder, including first and last name and data. List all the resource materials you used to complete this folder.
EVALUATION:
Below is a sample Evaluation Form used by instructors:
Content Good Avg. Poor Sun Picture 5 3 1 Sun Report 5 3 1 Planet Facts 5 3 1 Planet Picture 5 3 1 Famous Person Report 5 3 1 Famous Person Scene 5 3 1 LEV Drawing 5 3 1 Credit Page 5 3 1 Overall Creativity 15 10 5 Mechanics 15 10 5 Neatness 15 10 5 Totals -- -- --
PROCEDURES:
In preparation for this research project, students in both classes were given the CAIMI, the multiple intelligence checklist, and a pretest in the content area.
The class completing the science project using the Linkway software was given 335 minutes of instruction in the software application. They completed this instruction during scheduled computer time in a laboratory setting where each student had an individual computer. Students completed the required project in three classroom technology areas with five workstations in each area. The project requirements were given to the students in both oral and written form. The students kept a log of the time spent on the project. An average of 500.50 (s = 25.15) minutes spent in the completion of library research and work on the computer was logged, excluding initial software training time.
The class completing the handwritten project was given oral and printed instructions on the requirements of the project. These instructions were the same as those given to the Linkway class. These students also kept a log of time. The average time of 551.50 (s = 25.15) minutes included time spent in research and in the actual handwriting of their project.
After the completion of the project, a posttest was given in the content area. In addition, two evaluators used the project holistic scoring instrument to measure whether the students met the requirements of the project.
SUMMARY:
The research results showed no significant difference in student achievement, quality of project, or student motivation. Students' motivation in math, reading, science, and social studies did not relate to their performance on Linkway or on handwritten projects. There was a significant difference in the time logged by each of the classes. The Linkway class required additional time to learn the multimedia software. The instruction of the program was given during regularly scheduled computer time. The actual time used to complete the project was approximately 50 minutes less for the students using the Linkway multimedia software.
The teachers believe the use of Linkway multimedia software is justified in the fourth grade curriculum. The students learned a multimedia program while acquiring expected science content knowledge and maintaining quality in their projects. Since the acquisition of content knowledge and the quality of the projects was similar in the two classes, the teachers believe that the Linkway class may have used the additional time to acquire knowledge in other content areas.
SOURCES:
Armstrong, Thomas. Seven Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Many Intelligences. Plume Books, New York, l993.
Gottfried, Adele Eskeles. Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc., l986.
Kheriaty, Larry. Linkway, IBM Corp., 1991.
Storyboard Live. Version 1.0, IBM Corporation and Krepec Corporation, 1985-1990.
Lynda Frankeberger ljfrank@ilstu.edu
, Michelle Johnson, and Marilyn Schwartzkopf Metcalf Laboratory School 7000 Illinois State
University Normal, IL 61790-7000 ph 309 438-7621 fax 309 438-2580
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