Arab Educational Information Network

This paper aimed at investigating the effect of formative evaluation in teaching the course of Using the Computer in Instruction on the achievement and learning retention of the seventh level students at the College of Shariah and Deen Asool. Using quasi-experimental design, the sample consisted of (37) students, enrolled in the course of Using the Computer in Instruction during the Summer Term 2012 at the College of Education, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. The sample was divided into two equivalent groups: An experimental group including (18) students studying the assigned units using formative evaluation, and a control group including (19) students studying the same units using the lecture method. At the end of three-week teaching sessions (12 lectures, 50 minutes each), an achievement test was administered twice (17 days between the two applications) for both groups to measure the sample's achievement and learning retention. The results of the study revealed that there were statistically significant differences at (0.05) between the means of both groups in the immediate and delayed achievement test in favor of the experimental group. Also, the effect size was large in both applications. In light of the results, some recommendations and suggestions were presented. (Published abstract)