Learning JAVA Programming - A Group Based Field Experiment

• Main Authors: Han-wen Liu, 劉瀚文
• Other Authors: Huey-wen Chou
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/qx639m

碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 資訊管理研究所 === 99 === In educational literature, close relationships among instructional design, cognitive load, and learning performance have been found. Because of the differences in personal characteristics between learners, instructors have to adjust instructional design accordingly in order to promote learners’ learning performance and decrease cognitive load. Therefore, this study employed JAVA programming language as learning subject to investigate whether different grouping types and prior knowledge level to make differences in learners’ learning performance and cognitive by a field experiment. The study followed a 2 × 2 quasi-experimental design with two independent variables “prior knowledge” (high and low) and “grouping types” (homogeneous and heterogeneous). The dependent variables were “learning performance” and “cognitive load”. A six weeks field experiment including 134 undergraduates majoring in information management was conducted. The results are as following: 1. Subjects who have different prior knowledge level have significant difference in learning achievement. 2. Grouping types result in significant difference in subjects’ learning enjoyment. 3. Prior knowledge and grouping types have significant interaction effects on cognitive load. 4. Significant differences in team collective efficacy were found in different group types. 5. Female students scored significant higher in group cohesion and group satisfaction. According to the results above, implications for future research and directions were provided at the end.