Effect of peer instruction enriched by the web based peer and self assessment system on the achievement and attitude of the 7th grade students in rational numbers

The purpose of this study is to research the effect of peer instruction enriched by web based peer and self assessment system on the achievement and attitude of the 7th Grade Students in Rational Numbers. Rational Numbers Achievement Scale, Attitude Scale on Rational Numbers, Attitude Scale on Internet Use and Peer Instruction Observation Control Scale were used as measurement tools. Performance Assignment, Performance Assignment Assessment Form, Peer and Self Assessment System, Peer and Self Assessment System User Guide and Peer Instruction Subject Comprehension Tests were prepared as assessment material for this study. This study was conducted in the first semester of the 2013-2014 academic year with 472 students of 7th Grade in seven secondary schools in the Keçiören district of Ankara. Seven teachers with two classrooms of each participated in the study. Rational Numbers Achievement Scale, Attitude Scale on Rational Numbers, Attitude Scale on Internet Use and Peer Instruction Observation Control Scale were administered to all groups as a pre-test before the application to define the prior achievement and attitude levels of students. Experimental group students were instructed by the peer instruction method enriched by web based peer and self assessment while control group students were instructed by the traditional mathematics instruction. Instructions in all groups lasted nine weeks. After that Rational Numbers Achievement Scale, Attitude Scale on Rational Numbers, Attitude Scale on Internet Use, and Peer Instruction Observation Control Scale were administered to all groups as a post-test to determine the final achievement and attitude levels of students. Descriptive statistics were conducted by using the data obtained from the pre and post tests. The results indicated that the distribution of data for each variable is approximately normal. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used as inferential statistics. MANCOVA results indicate significant achievement average difference in favour of test groups. However, no significant difference was found between the groups with respect to their attitude on rational numbers. Keywords: Peer instruction, rational number, web based peer and self assessment.