Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1981

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Curriculum and Instruction

Major Professor

George A. Wagoner

Committee Members

A. Paul Wishart, Dewey H. Stollar, Woodrow W. Wyatt

Abstract

The problem of this study was to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of dictation materials constructed for Lessons 20 through 70 according to a plan of systematic repetition for brief forms, principles, and a combination of brief forms and principles and (2) determine whether an increased pattern of repetition for selected brief forms and selected principles increases accuracy in shorthand outlines and transcription.

First-year shorthand classes taught by 40 different teachers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee secondary schools were randomly assigned to one of four groups; (1) Experimental BF which used the special dictation material for brief forms for half of the class and homework assignments, (2) Experimental PR which used the special dictation material for principles for half of the class and homework assignments, (3) Experimental BFPR which used the special dictation material for both brief forms and principles for class and homework assignments in place of the regular textbook, and (4) Control which used the regular textbook for class and homework assignments. Ten students were randomly selected from each of the 40 classes for a total of 400 students—100 students in each of the four groups.

The Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test was administered to each class between the twentieth and thirtieth class days. Gradepoint averages for all subjects and for English for the previous school year were obtained for each student. One way-analysis of variance was computed for the background factors of age, grade level, IQ, overall gradepoint average, and English gradepoint average. As significant F values were found for grade level, IQ, and English gradepoint average, these were used as separate covariates in analyses of covariance to determine if differences existed at the .05 level of significance among the four groups in regard to the different achievement measures. The Scheffe procedure and the Tukey test were used at the .05 level of significance to determine which groups were significant following the determination of significant F values. Correlation coefficients were computed between the mental ability scores and each achievement measure.

The achievement measures used to test the hypotheses of the study were (1) Dictation Test A testing 30 selected brief forms and 30 selected principles in outlines and transcription after the completion of Lesson 70, (2) Dictation Test B testing the same brief forms and principles in outlines and transcription six weeks after the completion of Lesson 70, and (3) Dictation Test X testing the attained speed levels in transcription according to different scales based on speed and accuracy. Reliability coefficients were established for test and scorer reliability.

No significant differences were found in the different achievement measures used in the experiment for attained speed levels or for accuracy in outlines or transcription of brief forms and principles except for the following:

1. In accuracy of brief form outlines using the increased pattern of repetition in the special dictation material, (a) Experimental BFPR students scored significantly better than Control students when using IQ as the covariate at the completion of Lesson 70; (b) Experimental BF students and also Experimental BFPR students scored significantly better than Control students when using English gradepoint average as the covariate at the completion of Lesson 70; and (c) Experimental BFPR students scored significantly better than Control students when using IQ as the covariate six weeks after the completion of Lesson 70.

2. In accuracy of outlines of principles using the increased pattern of repetition in the special dictation material, Experimental PR students scored significantly better than Control students when using grade level as the covariate at the completion of Lesson 70.

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