Self-Explanation Prompts in iFractions: The Effect on Students with Different Levels of Ability

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the help element that is the self-explanation prompts in iFractions educational game software, on the achievement of students with different levels of ability. A total of 40 students from a school in Pulau Pinang participated in this survey. The study was conducted using quasi -experimental with a 3 x 2 factorial design where the questionnaires involved were the pre-test and post-test. The self-explanation prompts was developed using the cartoon concept. The study data was analysed using SPSS version 20 software with the t-test parametric comparison analysis. The findings of the study indicate that the self-explanation prompts in iFractions has helped to improve the students’ achievements when compared to MyCD software without the self-explanation prompts. High ability students and low ability students who used the self-explanation prompts showed significantly better achievements. Students with different levels of ability who used iFractions with self-explanation prompts found that it has helped them make the fractions abstract concept concrete and facilitate the proper construction of fractions schema. Therefore, the design of any educational software must be constructive in parallel with the combination of scaffolding element which is the self-explanation prompts.

Keywords: Self- explanation prompts; high ability; low ability