EFFECTS OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND LOCUS OF CONTROL ON STUDENTS' CONTROL PREFERENCES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL CONTROL

Barış Erdoğan
berdogan@msb.gov.tr

Abstract

This research was performed to identify possible effects of prior knowledge and locus of control on students' usage of control opportunities in web-based instruction. Students were grouped into three categories of high, average and low background knowledge considering their pre-test scores, and grouped into three categories of locus of control as internal, average and external locus of control considering Rotter's locus of control scale scores. By means of the instructional web-material, students' usage levels of control opportunities were calculated. The data was analyzed according to both background knowledge and locus of control using Kruskal-Wallis and the results are; there is no difference between background knowledge and usage levels and ways of control opportunities, there is no difference between locus of control and usage levels and ways of control opportunities.

Keywords
Net based learning, locus of control, prior knowledge, learner control, learner preferences.

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