Effects of Programmed Learning Sequences on the Mathematics Test Scores of Bermudian Middle School Students

This research compared the effects of a Programmed Learning Sequence (PLS) (Dunn & Dunn, 1993) versus Traditional Teaching (TT) on 100 sixth-grade Bermudian students' test scores on a Fractions Unit. Fifty-three males' and forty-seven females' learning styles were identified with the "Learning Style Inventory" (LSI) (Dunn, Dunn, & Price, 2000) to determine whether those with specific styles fared better or less well with either of the two approaches. Attitudes toward learning fractions traditionally versus with the PLS were assessed with the "Semantic Differential Scale" (SDS) (Pizzo, 1981). The control group's mean-posttest score (M = 5.98) was statistically lower (p less than 0.001) than the experimental group's mean-posttest scores (M = 7.86) (n = 100). In addition, the control group's mean-gain difference between the pre- and posttest (M = 2.28) was statistically lower (p less than 0.001) than the experimental group's (M = 4.27). Furthermore, the experimental group's mean attitude-test score toward learning with the PLS (M = 4.47) was significantly higher than the control group's M = (3.0) at the p less than 0.001 level for all responses. Both achievement- and attitude-test scores translated into large effect sizes. (Contains 3 figures and 2 tables.)