Chair: Culp, Mary Beth

This study investigated the effects of Logo computer programming instruction on the higher-order thinking skills and mathematical achievement of first grade students.  In addition, it investigated the differentiated effects due to gender.   Attitudes toward mathematics were also examined.  The study is an expansion of a previous investigation conducted by the researcher (Robinson, M. A., 1987).

A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design was used with two groups.  The sample was 113 first grade students from a public elementary school (34 in the Logo group; 79 in the non-Logo group). The Logo group received five weeks (1 hour per day) of the scheduled mathematics curriculum taught through Logo programming.  Instructional scripts were utilized to control for teacher effects.  The non-Logo group received five weeks (1 hour per day) of the scheduled mathematics curriculum taught through traditional methods.

Both groups were administered a pretest and posttest using the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (higher-order thinking) and the California Diagnostic Mathematics Test (mathematical achievement) which contained three subscales:  Number Concepts, Computation, and Applications.  Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the change scores.

No significant differences in higher-order thinking were found between the Logo and non-Logo groups or between the males and females.  However, the Logo group demonstrated higher mean gains than the non-Logo group, and the females, as a group and within both groups, scored higher than the males on the pretest and on the posttest.

No significant differences in mathematical achievement were found between the Logo and non-Logo groups or between the males and females.  However, the Logo group demonstrated higher mean gains than the non-Logo group on the Computation and Applications subscales, and the females, as a group and within both groups, scored higher than the males on all pretest and posttest subscales.  A significant interaction was found between group and gender.  The females in the Logo group performed significantly better on the Computation subscale than the females in the non-Logo group.

Attitudes toward mathematics were examined through informal interviews developed by the researcher. Responses were recorded and summarized.  Both groups demonstrated positive attitudes toward mathematics.  Prior to the treatment, both groups reported working with the teacher and using the workbook pages as their favorite way to learn math.  After the treatment, the non-Logo group’s response remained the same, while the Logo group reported using Logo and computers as their favorite way to learn math.