ACTIVITY-BASED TRAINING (COMPUTER GAMES) AND ITS EFFECT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF LEARNED HELPLESSNESS STUDENTS

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effect of activity-based training on academic performance based on experimental research. Researches conducted by activity theorists such as Gunter (1998),Squire (2002,2005,2007), Gee (2002,2003,2005,2006,2007) and Reinders (2009), show that activity-based training has effect on some academic performances like math, literature, experimental science, writing, etc. The study was done on female students with learned helplessness attribution style, who were studying in Mashhad in 2010-2011 academic year. For this purpose a sample of fourth and fifth grade of elementary school female students were selected randomly. The population of this study was all female students in fourth and fifth grade of elementary school in Mashhad. Measurement tool for this research is children’s attribution-style questionnaire (CASQ). 40 students were selected. The experimental and controlled groups were selected randomly. After that teacher academic performance test was made which contained 30 multiple choices of math, and elementary science, used as a pre-test for both experimental and controlled groups. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between these two groups. Experimental group was affected by dependent variables (the method of activity-based training which computer games was considered as activity). No training was made to controlled group. Then a test which had 30 multiple choices of math and science was taken from both groups. Repeated measurement and t test were used to analyze the research results. The results showed that in 0.05 level there is a meaningful difference between experimental and controlled groups. In other words, academic performance of students was affected by activity-based training.