Structures 1 Course: T-Test Results
The results of t-test comparing the performance of students in the control and experimental group in the structures 1 course showed significantly positive results for all the tests. Both experimental and control group were given three identical tests. Comparing three test grades from each course showed an increased improvement in the student performance as their exposure to the ISS increased. This was evidenced by an increase of 10 points in the class mean grade for the first two exams with a significance level of 0.049 and an increase of 18.5 in the class mean grade for the final test with significance level of 0.005.
In order to further analyze the students test scores, and examine the project’s team hypothesis that the ISS would help the students with lower SAT scores and weaker mathematics skills at a greater extent, a second t-test was performed. This test compared the test scores of the students in control and experimental group in two separate categories of high SAT mathematics performers, and low SAT mathematic performers.
The t-test results showed that although both groups benefited from using the ISS in the experimental course, the low SAT math performers were impacted the most. The mean grade for the final exam of the students with lower SAT mathematics score increased by 15.5 points with significance level of 000. This finding approved the initial hypothesis of the project team.
Structures 1 Course: Mann-Whitney Test Results
The evaluation program measured attitudes toward the structures subject by conducting Attitude Surveysthat questioned the level of student interest, effectiveness of the course, impact of digital media in learning, and the students’ ability or desire to apply their knowledge of the subject in the design process. Each group was given two sets of survey questions, a pre-survey set at the beginning of the course and a post-survey at the completion of the course.
The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the pre-survey and post-survey data from the control and experimental group. The analysis of this data showed a significant improvement in the students’ attitude towards structures in the experimental course, with 15 out of 27 post-survey questions showing a statically significant improvement. For example, when students were asked if they agreed that multimedia digital technology can enhance learning concepts related to structures, t he post-survey course results in the experimental course showed a strong improvement in the students’ perception of digital media, with a 34% increase in students who strongly agreed with the statement at significance level of 0.000. When students were asked if they felt that architectural education can benefit through gaining a better understanding of structural concepts, in the post-survey of the experimental course, the students’ response changed by a third from ambivalence to positive at a confidence level of 0.023
When asked if they felt competent in applying basic structural principles to their design work, 22% more of the students in the experimental group agreed strongly while the ambivalent and disagreed answers dropped by 18.5%. This is was at a significance level of 0.038. When asked if the use of visual graphics makes understanding structural concepts less complicated, the post-survey of the experimental course showed considerable improvement. Most dramatic was the 26% increase in students’ response who strongly agreed with this statement. The number of ambivalent answers dropped to half in favor of utilizing visual graphics to teach. And finally in response to if architectural education can benefit through gaining a better understanding of structural concepts, the post-surveys of experimental course showed 13% increase in strongly agreed answers, and a drop of 25% in the ambivalent and negative responses. This was at a significance level of 0.023.