COMPREHENSION MONITORING, STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES, PRE-MATH KNOWLEDGE, AND TRANSFER - A COMPREHENSIVE PRE-MATH SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPUTER-ASSISTED-INSTRUCTION (CAI) AND LOGO CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO TEST THEIR EFFECTS

A comprehensive computer curriculum designed to teach pre-math/spatial skills was used to examine the performance of preschool children usin g computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and Logo software. Forty prescho ol children received approximately 80 percent of pre-math/spatial inst ruction via computer and approximately 20 percent via teacher instruct ion. The following pretest/posttest measures were used to assess gains in skill: pre-math knowledge (TEMA), comprehension monitoring (Flavel l scale), spatial ability (color identification and pointing), and abi lity to transfer (mazes). Overall, field independent (FI) and field de pendent (FD) children did not perform significantly different from eac h other on posttest measures. Reflective (Ref) children performed sign ificantly better than impulsive (Imp) children on several measures inc luding fewer trials on a maze task, more correct answers on color and color/direction questions, and less time on color/direction questions. Both FI/FD and Ref/Imp groups improved performance from pretest to po sttest and made gains in pre-math knowledge and comprehension monitori ng. Key factors of the computer instructional method are discussed.