| The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an instructional interactive module by computer in the development of algebraic and geometric skills in undergraduate students in the course of physical sciences in the University of Puerto Rico. Also want to determine the possible influence of the professor and the interaction between treatment and professor in the variable development of algebraic and geometric skills.;The design of investigation is quasi-experimental with control group not equivalent, with pretest and posttest (McMillan & Schumacher, 2005). Six groups of students were selected from the physical sciences course offered by three different professors. The total number of subjects participating of this study was 61 students, 26 of which participated in the experimental group, and 35 in the control group. The evaluation instrument used for both the pretest and posttest was the "Diagnostic test of mathematics cognitive processes (conceptual understanding processes, reasoning abilities, analysis abilities) and attitudes, dispositions and preferences to the mathematics knowledge"of Noriega (2005).;In the statistical analysis, the study uses an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the pre-experimental equivalence between groups. Then it utilizes the analysis of variance of two factors where treatment and professor were considered, and applies the results of the pretest as a covariate. Also, utilizes a paired t test with dependent sampling to determine if there were any significant changes during the treatment. All the statistical analysis was made with a level of significance of 0.05.;The findings indicate that there is no statistical significance between the students in the experimental group, the group that uses the instructional interactive module, and the ones in the control group, that do not use it. There is no statistical significance between the experimental group and the control group due to the professor. There is no statistical significant interaction between the variable treatment and professor in the development of algebraic and geometric skills. It was also observed that there were no significant differences between the means in the pretest and posttest of algebra and geometry of all subjects under study.;These results suggest that the study of algebraic and geometric skills with an instructional interactive module by computer does not affect negatively the performance of the physical sciences students in mathematics tests. We can say that the interactive module can be considered to complement courses that are offered online. |
