From Digital to Manual Conversion Between Number Systems: An ASSURE Learning Design

Abstract

Technology integration in educational setting has gained wide acceptance and practice since it makes easy and quickens students’ learning. However, developing students’ number systems conversion skill without proper resources calls for teacher’s intervention. This educational action research put into operation the ASSURE Model to develop students’ competence in converting numerical data between each number system. Participants included all of the twenty four 9^th Graders taking Creative Technologies under the Special Science Program at Laoang National High School. Data collection involved survey questionnaires, focus group discussion, unstructured interviews, documents, participant observation, and teacher-made test which underwent proper validation. Descriptive statistics, thematic analysis, and document analysis were employed. Learners analysis revealed that the participants were female dominated, at regular age, indigents, lived outside town proper, owned gadget, used free data for internet access, learned better with sounds and tangible learning materials, and strongly driven to finish activities when given task. Findings showed increasing number of learners who achieved outstanding scores in the series of conversion tests given as manifested in answer sheets and field notes. To further corroborate these results, participants articulated that the learning design used made manual conversion between number systems easy and quick,   guided in-depth analysis of conversion process, and encouraged knowledge sharing among themselves. Regulated and proper use of smartphones and internet access in teaching and learning processes was highly recommended.

Keywords: ASSURE Model, learning styles, motivational factors, action research, number systems conversion