COMMONWEALTH ASSOCATION FOR
EDUCATION, ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT
VOLUME 1
ISSUE 4
ISSN NO 2322-0147
DECEMBER
2013
Comparative Study of Mediated Learning and
Conventional Teaching for Class VII Students in the
Subject of Science
Excellence International Journal of Education and
Research (Multi- subject journal)
Excellence International Journal Of Education And Research
VOLUME 1
ISSUE 4
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Comparative Study of Mediated Learning and Conventional Teaching for
Class VII Students in the Subject of Science
Dr.Meenakshi Jindal
Lecturer in Physics,
Carmel Convent School,
Sector-9-B, Chandigarh.
meenu20nov@gmail.com
Mo.:09417410429
Abstract
Teaching is a two way process between the teacher and the students which aims at
bringing a definite behavior change in the students. Teacher through different skills, methods
and aids tries to achieve the objectives of education. The challenge before the teacher in the
classroom is to satisfy the needs of different types of students present their besides completion
of syllabus. Earlier teacher used conventional method of teaching in the classroom. The
stress was on acquiring more and more knowledge. But this method may not be suited for all
the different kind of children present in the classroom. Such methods of teaching are required
which can help different kind of children in acquiring the knowledge. Mediated learning
strategy is one such cognitive approach to teaching and learning.Author of the paper tried to
compare the effectiveness of mediated learning strategy and conventional teaching strategy
for class vii in the subject of Science. Learning material to be presented during mediated
learning experience was prepared for class vii students and was given to one group of 32
students for reading. Another group of 32 students of class vii was taught through
conventional teaching strategy. A pretest- posttest experimental design was used to test the
hypothesis. Conventional teaching strategy was treated as control group and mediated
learning strategy was treated as experimental group. Achievement test was used as pretest
and posttest. Statistical tools were applied on gain scores. The result of the study showed a
significant difference in the achievement of students exposed to the two groups. Mediated
learning is found to be more effective in this study.
This result has wide educational
implications.
Key words:Conventional teaching, Mediated learning strategy, experimental design and
significant difference.
Introduction
Teaching is a two way process between the teacher and the students which aims at
bringing a definite behavior change in the students. Teacher through different skills, methods
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and aids tries to achieve the objectives of education. The challenge before the teacher in the
classroom is to satisfy the needs of different types of students present their besides
completion of syllabus. Earlier teacher used to transfer the knowledge by emphasizing on
spoon-feeding. Major stress was on intellectual development. So, the teacher used such type
of teaching methods which were helpful in transferring the knowledge to the students at a
faster pace. Lecturing, repetition and exercises form the core of such method. Such kind of
method is termed as conventional method of teaching or conventional teaching strategy.
Conventional Teaching strategy or traditional method of teaching
Conventional teaching strategy is a teacher dominated strategy. What is to be done,
what is not to be done, how to do, when to do, who will participate in teaching learning
process, how much to be done and many more issues concerning classroom are decided by
the teacher himself. The needs and requirements of the students are put on the back seat.
Broughton and his colleagues (1994) claims that the traditional method is the
“teacher-dominated interaction”. The teaching is deeply teacher-centered. The reason for this
approach is explained by the statement of Dr. Abdullah Kuzu, who asserts that it is based on
the “traditional view of education, where teachers serve as the source of knowledge while
learners serve as passive receivers” (Kuzu, 2007). Scrivener, J. (2005) claims that “traditional
teaching [is imagined to work as] ‘jug and mug’ – the knowledge being poured from one
receptacle into an empty one.” This widespread attitude is based on a precondition that
“being in a class in the presence of a teacher and ‘listening attentively’ is enough to ensure
that learning will take place”.Jack C.(2008) in his book Communicative Language Teaching
Today, highlights that in traditional methodology “learning was very much seen as under the
control of the teacher”. To sum up, the traditional methodology puts the responsibility for
teaching and learning mainly on the teacher and it is believedthat if students are present in the
lesson and listen to the teacher’s explanations and examples, they will be able to use the
knowledge.
There are different kinds of students present in the classroom. All the students cannot
cope up with the conventional teaching strategy. Researches were done to compare different
teaching strategies with conventional teaching strategies. Many of them were found to be
more effective than conventional teaching strategy. Mediated learning is one such strategy.
Mediated Learning
Mediated learning is a strategy where a parent or a teacher acts like a mediator and try
to bring a change in the child’s ability to learn and think. They provide stimulus to the child
and observe their response to it. Based on the response, the mediator interacts with the learner
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using reinforcement techniques. This process continues until the mediator or the learner is
satisfied with the learning outcomes. Mediated learning helps the students to learn new
concepts and to apply those in new situations. They also learn to construct new knowledge.
Krapf (1986) in an attempt to differentially explain the causative nature of the
manifest cognitive functioning of the deaf applied Feuerstein's (1979) "Mediated Learning
Theory" and instrumentation from his Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD) to a
sample of the deaf population. He observed significant within treatment and post-test results
concluding that the deaf had abstract reasoning abilities that typically have not been observed
through traditional psychometric procedures.Santiago & Ana (1993) found that the children
with the problem of Down syndrome when exposed to mediated learning interventions
showed improved results.Klein &Arieli (1997) found that the group of students who were
given mediated intervention in mathematics showed better achievement than those who were
not given the intervention.
Objective of the Study
The objective of the study is to compare the mediated learning strategyand conventional
teaching for class VII students in the subject of science.
Hypothesis of the Study
There is no significant difference in the achievement of class VII students in the subject of
Science when exposed to Mediated Learningand conventional teaching strategies.
Delimitations of the study
The study was delimited to various Government Model Schools of Chandigarh.
Design of the study
The present study aimed to ‘compare two teaching strategies mediated learning and
conventional teaching in the subject of Science for class VII students. Pre-test, Post- test
experimental design was used for the study. Conventional teaching was used as control group
and mediated learning strategy was used as experimental group. Achievement test was used as
Pre-test and Post- test. The gain achievement scores from pre and post achievement test were
subjected to statistical treatment. Conclusions were drawn on the basis of descriptive and
inferential statistics.
Sample of the study
The population of the study was class VII students studying in all the schools of
Chandigarh. A sample of 64 students, selected from two randomly selected schools of
Chandigarh, was taken for the study. The sample was divided in two groups. One group was
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subjected to Conventional Teaching strategyand another group to Mediated Learning
Strategy.
Tools used for the study
Following tools were used to see the effectiveness of the cognitive strategies used in the
study:

Achievement test was used as pre-test and post-test.

Learning material for imparting Instructions through Mediated Learning
Procedure for collection of data
The study was conducted in three phases. In phase I, the sample students were
subjected to Achievement Pre-test.In Phase II, sample students were divided into two
groups which were exposed to (i) Conventional Teaching Strategy and (ii) Mediated Learning
Strategy (A2). In Phase III Achievement Post test was administered on the selected sample.
The raw data was collected by administering various tools. Schematic layout of the study is
given in the following table-1.
Table-1 Showing Schematic layout of the study
SNo
Group I
Group II
1

Achievement Pre- test

2

Instructions
through
conventional 
Teaching Strategy (A1)
3

Achievement Post- test
Achievement Pre- test
Instructions
throughMediated
Learning Strategy (A2)

Achievement Post- test
Statistical Techniques used
The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis through descriptive and
inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, and standard
error of mean were computed and t-test as inferential statistics was used to test the hypotheses.
Analysis and Interpretation
To see the effectiveness of two groups and test the hypothesis statistical tools were
applied on the data.
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Table-2 Showing Mean, S.D. and SEM for Different Groups
S.No.
Group
N
M
SD
SEM
1
A1
32
5.906
1.146
.202
2
A2
32
7.09
1.399
.2474
Table-3Table showing t-ratios for the groups exposed to Conventional Teaching
Strategy and Mediated Learning Strategy (A2)
Pairs
Degree of Freedom
t-ratio
Level of Significance
A1-A2
62
3.652
.01
Table-2 shows the mean, standard deviation and standard error of mean for the control groupA1 exposed to conventional method of teaching and the experimental group exposed to
mediated learning strategy. The means for groups A1 and A2 are 5.906 and 7.09 respectively.
Table-2 shows that the t-value between the groups A1 and A2 is found to be 3.652 which is
significant at 0.01 level of significance for 62 degree of freedom. As the mean of the
achievement scores of students exposed to mediated learning strategy is more than the
conventional teaching strategy so mediated learning strategy has been found to be more
effective. Since the difference in the mean achievement of two groups is significant,
therefore, the hypothesis stating, ‘there is no significant difference in the mean achievement
of groups exposed to conventional teaching strategy and mediated learning strategy,’ may not
be accepted. Rather the alternative hypothesis that, ‘there is a significant difference in the
mean achievement of groups exposed to conventional teaching strategy and mediated
learning strategy,’ may be accepted. The result of the study is supported by the earlier
researches done by Krapf(1986), Klein &Arieli (1997).
Results & Conclusions
From the study it has been found that there is a significant effect of conventional teaching
strategy (A1) and mediated learning strategy (A2) on the mean achievement scores of class
VII students in the subject of Science. But while comparing the effectiveness of two
strategies, it has been found that the mean achievement score of class VII students in the
subject of Science when exposed to mediated learning strategy (A2) is higher than that
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exposed to conventional teaching strategy (A1). This may be due to the effect of teacher
acting as a mediator.
Educational Implications:
The present study has wide educational implications:
1. Conventional teaching strategy is not very effective in the present competitive world.
2. Mediated learning strategy is a powerful tool in the hands of teachers to make the
topic interesting and foster creativity in the students.
3. Mediated learning strategy can also be used to improve the achievement level of
average and below average students.
Suggestion for Further Studies:
Further studies can be done by keeping in view the following suggestions:
1. Study can be extended for learning disabled students.
2. It can also be extended for students studying in different classes.
3. Interactional studies can also be done using more teaching strategies and
psychological variables.
References:
Broughton, Geoffrey, et al. (1994).Teaching English as a Foreign Language. 2nd ed.
London: Routledge.
Feuerstein, R.; Klein, P. S.; Tannenbaum, A. J. (1999). Mediated Learning Experience
(MLE) Theoretical, Psychosocial and Learning Implications.
Klein, Pnina S.; Arieli, Mary Bar (1997). Mediated Learning and its Application to the
Enhancement of Mathematical Abilities in Children with Down Syndrome. Journal of
Developmental and Learning Disorders 2(1): 299-319.
Krapf, Gary Frank, (1986). The Effects of Mediated Intervention on Advanced Figural
Analogical Problem-Solving With Deaf Adolescents: Implications for Dynamic Process
Assessment. DAI-A 47/03, p. 837, AAT 8611882.
Kuzu, Abdullah, (2008). “Views of Pre-Service Teachers on Blog Use for Instruction and
Social Interaction” Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE July 2007 Volume:
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