The effects of interactive television as a medium of instruction on the attitudes of developmental mathematics students

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of interactive television as a medium of instruction on the mathematics attitudes of developmental community college students as measured by the Fennema–Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scale. Specifically the study attempted to determine if the mathematics attitudes of developmental elementary algebra students so taught differed from the attitudes of students taught in the traditional classroom. In addition, the study identified some teaching methods utilized in the traditional developmental elementary algebra classroom that differed from the teaching methods utilized in the interactive (ITV) elementary algebra classroom. The subjects (n=21) were students enrolled in two sections of elementary algebra. One section (n=9) was taught in the traditional classroom and the other section (n=12) was taught through interactive television. Pre and post attitude scales consisting of five of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics were administered. A non parametric test was used to compare the scores of the pre-traditional to post-traditional, pre-interactive to post-interactive, and pos-tinteractive to post-traditional. No significant differences were found for any of the comparisons. The gain scores for the two groups were computed for each group and compared. No significant differences were found in the individual scale scores, or for the total scores. Each class was observed twice during the study to see If any observed differences In attitudes or In the teaching methods were noted. Information from the Interviews and observations was analyzed and Indicated than the attitudes of the post-Interactive class were slightly more negative that the attitudes of the post-traditional. The differences In teaching methods noted were In the way the Instructor communicated to the class and in the Instructor's use of one-to one Instruction In the traditional class. The results of the non-parametric tests and the results of comparing the gain scores revealed no significant differences In the post-study attitudes for the two groups. However, Information gathered from the Interviews and observations showed that some changes had occurred and that some differences In attitudes did exist between the two post-study groups.