Effect of Meaningfulness of Learning Meterials on Speed of Learning

Abstract

This experiment examined the effect of meaningfulness of learning materials on speed of learning. Sixty undergraduate university students (30 males and 30 females) participated in this experiment voluntarily. The participants were divided into two groups (15 males and 15 females for each group) and each group was tested using 10 items. The experimental group learned ten English word whereas control group learned ten anagrams. The participants were asked to learn and memorize the items presented and later on to recall the items in serial order on a blank piece of paper. The number of correctly recalled items was recorded. The result of independent sample t-test revealed that the participants took significantly less number of trials on the average to learn words as compared to anagrams. Discussion includes implications and limitations of the current findings and suggestions for future research.

Keywords: meaningfulness of learning materials, speed of learning, experimental research