The effectiveness of online interactive tutorial versus online help and printed manual in Project GeoSim's user assistance system

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dc.contributor.authorBegole, Jamesen
dc.contributor.committeechairShaffer, Clifford A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberWilliges, Robert C.en
dc.contributor.committeememberCarroll, John M.en
dc.contributor.departmentComputer Scienceen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:44:42Zen
dc.date.adate2009-09-05en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:44:42Zen
dc.date.issued1994-06-18en
dc.date.rdate2009-09-05en
dc.date.sdate2009-09-05en
dc.description.abstractThe aim of Project GeoSim is to develop simulation based introductory geography education software. To maximize the educational benefit of the software, Project GeoSim has developed three user assistance and training methods: Online Help, Printed Manual, and Online Interactive Tutorial. Using a population dynamics simulation called IntlPop as the test-bed, an experiment was conducted comparing the three training methods against each other and against no training at all to find the method from which users complete laboratory exercises most quickly and with the greatest accuracy. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: the three user assistance methods and a control that received no training. Following training, the participants answered nine questions using IntlPop. The control received no training and therefore spent the least time with training material. Of the other training methods, analysis detected no significant difference regarding the time spent with training material. Participants that received training from the online interactive tutorial completed tasks more quickly than those that received no training. However, no significant difference in speed of performance was detected between the online help and printed manual and either the control or online interactive tutorial. Additionally, analysis indicated no significant difference in accuracy of responses among the four treatments. Nor were there any significant differences with respect to subjective satisfactionen
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentx, 155 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-09052009-040735en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09052009-040735/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/44596en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1994.B446.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 31047597en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1994.B446en
dc.subject.lcshGeography -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Computer programsen
dc.titleThe effectiveness of online interactive tutorial versus online help and printed manual in Project GeoSim's user assistance systemen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineComputer Scienceen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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