LEARNING ABOUT OWLS AND THEIR CONSERVATION – A COMPARISON OF MEDIA-ASSISTED INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

In this study, two short-term educational treatments for secondary school dealing with ecology and conservation of European owl species were compared under realistic field-conditions. Both motivating learning environments, a play-like activity (quartet) and a hypermedia website tool for two lessons (90 min), are known to provide a strong “Hawthorne effect”, which might useful for achievement in a short-term learning unit in Science Education. Information units were similar, only the structure of presentation differed within both treatments. Objectives of the study were (i) a comparison of both teaching methods concerning the cognitive learning outcome and (ii) motivational variables in a pre-/ post- and retention-test design with control group. Pupils were randomly assigned one treatment (Hypermedia: N = 34, quartet: N = 30, control: N = 28). As result of multivariate statistics, a significant higher achievement in the computer-aided group was assessed immediately after the lesson, while the retention test did not produce significant differences between the treatments. Pupils performed significantly better in the retention-test compared to the post-test, which might be due to a short teaching sequence of ten minutes after the post-test. The motivational variables measured with the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (Ryan, Connell & Plant, 1990) didn't show any difference between the two treatments, suggesting that both treatments are motivating and that the Hawthorne effect might be similar. Pooling both experimental groups, a significant positive relationship between interest/enjoyment and post-test scores and between effort and retention and a negative correlation between retention test and the perceived pressure can be reported. A consequence for Science Education practice is the usefulness of both treatments for successful and motivating achievement as well as the fact, that the hypermedia approach can be used for self-determined learning as out-of-school-preparation. Furthermore, research concerning the short concluding teaching sequences is necessary.