The Effect of Adaptive Learning Environment in Teaching the Number Concept to Students with Intellectual Disabilities

• Main Authors: Cakir, Ozlem, Teker, Ezel, Can Aybek, Eren
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Croatian; English
• Published: Faculty of teacher education 2015
• Subjects: adaptive learning; intellectual disabilities; number concept; personalized teaching; prilagođeno učenje; individualno poučavanje; intelektualne poteškoće; pojam broja; sami
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/153254; http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/225723; http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/225693

The objective of the study is to research evidence of the effectiveness of adaptive computer software that enables students with intellectual disabilities to acquire mathematical skills. The hybrid method, in which quantitative and qualitative research patterns are used together, is our research model. For the quantitative pattern of the research, an authentic experimental model including a pre-test and a final test, was used with the experimental and control group, but for the qualitative pattern, a descriptive model was used with the aim to describe participants’ views of the process. The research was conducted on a group of thirty participants – students in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth grades. The materials used in the research had been developed by the researchers. Additionally, overall assessment forms, achievement tests and detailed assessment forms were used in the research. For the analysis of the data, two-way ANOVA for mixed measures and descriptive analysis were used. The analyses indicated that, while there was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test, a significant difference could not be found between the traditional learning environment and adaptive learning environment in terms of effectiveness of the education. Moreover, the participants' views of the application were examined. Cilj je ovoga istraživanja proučiti dokaze o učinkovitosti prilagođenog računalnog softvera koji omogućuje učenicima s intelektualnim poteškoćama da usvoje matematičke vještine. Hibridna metoda, u kojoj se zajedno koriste kvantitativni i kvalitativni istraživački uzorci, naš je model istraživanja. Za kvantitativni uzorak istraživanja koristio se autentični eksperimentalni model koji podrazumijeva predtest i konačni test s eksperimentalnom i kontrolnom skupinom. Za kvalitativni uzorak koristili smo se deskriptivnim model putem kojega smo mogli opisati mišljenja ispitanika vezana uz sam proces. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od trideset ispitanika – učenika iz četvrtoga, petoga, šestoga, sedmoga i devetoga razreda. Materijale koji su korišteni u istraživanju razvili su sami istraživači. Nadalje, u ovome su se istraživanju koristili cjelokupni obrasci za ocjenjivanje, testovi postignuća i detaljni evaluacijski obrasci. Za analizu podataka koristila se dvosmjerna ANOVA za mješovita mjerenja i deskriptivna analiza. Na kraju analize, iako je uočena značajna razlika između predtesta i završnoga testa, značajna razlika nije utvrđena između tradicionalne okoline za učenje i prilagođene okoline za učenje s obzirom na učinkovitost obrazovanja. Štoviše, također su bila ispitana mišljenja sudionika u istraživanju o samoj primjeni.