Abstract:
The present study has aimed at identifying the impact of using computers on the 5th elementary graders’ concept of color. The population of the study consisted of all elementary 5th grade students (males and females) at Riyadh Najd Schools in Saudi Arabia for the year 2000 / 2001, with total of (213) students distributed into six sections for males (116) and five sections for females (97). The sample of the study consisted of (76) male and female students assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The first group studied the concept of color through computers whereas the second group studied it traditionally. Each group consisted of (38) students half of whom were males. A 15-true/false item test, derived from the syllabus to measure the degree of acquiring the concept of color, was constructed. The reliability of the test was (0.87). Test validity was checked by presenting it to specialized arbitrators. The test was administered before making the study so as to make sure the two groups are equivalent. It was also administered after four weeks of the end of the study (two lessons per week) in order to measure the degree of acquiring the concept of color. The results of the Two-Way ANOVA test showed that there was a statistically significant difference (α =0.05) in the 5th grade students’ acquisition of color concept ascribed to teaching methods favoring the use of computers. The findings also revealed that there was no statistically significant difference among those students ascribed to neither gender nor to the interaction between gender and method. In the light of the findings, the researchers recommended the arts education teachers to use computers in their teaching. The researchers also recommended other researchers to conduct other studies dealing with designing software for different topics in arts education and utilizing them with different levels of students.
