Date of Award

4-1996

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. R. Wayne Fuqua

Second Advisor

Dr. Richard Malott

Third Advisor

Dr. Dale Brethower

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Three library instructional tools/guides. were compared to evaluate their effectiveness at teaching basic library skills to undergraduate students. A step-by-step scoring sheet was the main data collection tool used to measure subjects' stepwise responses as they interacted with computers and the library to find answers to test questions. Pretest, posttest, and follow-up test consisting of three basic library utilization questions were administered. The three experimental groups were trained with one of the following tools: · a computer self-instructional tool (Hypermedia Group), printed handouts (Handout Group), and computer help-screens (Helpscreen Group). Test scores at each of the assessment points showed no differences in the efficacy of the three library instructional tools on library skills. All four groups showed statistically significant increases in library skills as revealed by a comparison of pretest to posttest scores. A comparison of posttest to follow-up scores showed improvements that did not reach statistical significance for the three instructional tools, but did achieve statistical significance for the Control Group. Visual analyses of subjects' stepwise responses showed increases in correct responding for all groups, with the Hypermedia Group showing the highest percentage of correct responses.

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Psychology Commons

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