The effects of four different strategies of information presentation in software training

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether learners' computer self-efficacy and prior computer knowledge influence their performance and satisfaction when presented with various instructional strategies of information presentation in computer-based software training. Seventy-eight undergraduate students were randomly assigned into four groups (a) deductive-inquisitory, which present general information first and then require learner to generates examples, (b) deductive-expository, which present general information first then present examples, (c) inductive-inquisitory, which present examples first and then require learners to discover relationship, (d) inductive-expository, which present examples first then present general information. The instructional materials were computer-based Netscape Composer 7.1 tutorials. For the comparison of inductive-inquisitory and inductive-expository groups, results indicated that learners with higher computer self-efficacy not only performed better but also were more satisfied towards inductive-inquisitory strategy for information presentation. Learners with low computer self-efficacy benefited more from the inductive-expository approach of information presentation. Furthermore, for the comparison of deductive-expository and inductive-expository groups, learners with high computer self-efficacy performed better in deductive-expository strategy, while learners with low computer self-efficacy benefited more in inductive-expository strategy. Some of the research recommendations for further research included using a larger sample size for the generality of the finding, measuring how different instructional strategies influence the learners' long term memory, and exploring other possible moderating factors and other strategies for information presentation that has positive impact on learners' performance in and satisfaction towards computer based software training.