Browsing by Author "Dr. Elizabeth Wilson, Committee Chair"

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    Scientific Basis vs. Contextualized Application of Knowledge: The Effect of Teaching Methodology on the Achievement of Post-secondary Students in an Integrated Agricultural Biotechnology Course
    (2010-04-29) Curry, Kevin Wylie Jr; Dr. Charlotte Farin, Committee Member; Dr. Jim Flowers, Committee Member; Dr. Elizabeth Wilson, Committee Chair
    The purpose of the study was to compare two teaching methodologies for an integrated agricultural biotechnology course at the postsecondary level. The two teaching methods tested were the explanation of the scientific basis for content (comparison treatment) versus the application of content to a real world agricultural context (experimental treatment). The study was implemented with two different classes over two semesters. The comparison treatment was administered to 22 students during the spring semester of 2009, and the experimental treatment was administered to 16 students during the fall semester of 2009. The research design used was a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control-group design with an identical pre/posttest given to each group as a means of assessing content achievement. Although the experimental treatment, based out of the principles of contextual teaching and learning, did have a greater mean gain on the pre/posttest it was not statistically significant (p >.05), so the study’s null hypothesis was not rejected. Based on these results, compared with traditional methods, a curriculum of contextualized teaching and learning can be implemented while maintaining a comparable level of student achievement.