An experimental investigation of the benefit derived from the employment of specially designed equipment for instruction in fundamental electrical and radio theory

Abstract

This investigation was effected by sub-dividing a twenty weeks course in Advanced Wireless Training into fifteen Study Sections. After securing an initial measure of ability, using the Jenkins' Test, the pupils (204) were random assigned to either experimental groups, when they had the advantage of the special training equipment, or to control groups, when they received lectures only. At the conclusion of each Study Section attainment was estimated by application of a suitable objective progress test. In order to increase the precision of the investigation, the experimental groups for the first seven Study Sections became the control groups for the second seven Study Sections, the treatment of Study Section 11 was the same for both groups and the instructors taught classes using both instructional methods. The scores obtained in the experiments were analysed by the method of co-variance when the influences of pupil and instructor variables were eliminated and the hypothesis that the difference between the two methods-groups was solely attributable to chance was examined. In thirteen cases the results of the experimental groups were significantly superior at the 5% level to those of the control groups and in four instances these differences were outstanding at the 1% level. The Study Section, in which both groups received the same treatment, produced an insignificant value of 'F' (1.3) thereby strongly supporting the previous findings. The low value of 'F' (6.0) (F 5% - 10.14) obtained for the remaining Study Section was accepted on the basis of poorer ratio of support furnished by the practical work and it was not deemed to have established conflicting evidence. These analyses showed that the employment of the training aids, the large majority of which were original in both design and construction, had considerably improved the standard of the training investigated.