A Third Study of Mental Fatigue in Relation to the Daily School Program
- Author:
William H. Heck, M. A.
University of Virginia.
During the year 1911-12 the author gave to forty classes in New York City ten-minute tests in the fundamental operations in arithmetic at four different periods of a two-session school day. The results were compared as to quantity and quality in order to suggest the relative efficiency at those periods.1 In February and March, 1913, twenty-five-minute tests in the fundamental operations were given to sixteen classes in Lynchburg, Va., at two periods of a onesession day, and the results were compared, with conclusions similar to those from the New York tests.2 The present paper reports an experiment with twelve-minute tests in reasoning problems in arithmetic given to sixteen classes in the Intermediate School in Roanoke, Va., at two periods of a one-session day.
Although rapid computation requires a continued alertness on the part of grammar-grade pupils, which can well be considered indicative of hygienic efficiency for other lines of school work, it must be granted that reasoning problems in arithmetic of similar grade involve processes and effort more generally needed in meeting school requirements. In order to carry out in the third experiment the methods of the other two, it was necessary to use two reasoning tests which could be graded accurately and as approximately equal in difficulty. The tests selected were forms 1 and 3 of the Courtis Standard Test No. 8, since Mr. Courtis had proved by his very wide experience that these tests were as nearly equal as any so far made. They were given and scored according to the Courtis method, the number of examples done and the number right being calculated from the figures in the “answer” column. The non-measurable elements in this gross method were mainly neutralized in the comparison of morning and afternoon work. On Monday, December 8th, form 2 of test No. 8 was given as a preliminary test to all sixteen classes in order to acquaint them with the matter and method of the succeeding tests; but the papers were not scored. By trying ten, fifteen, and twelve minutes as the time limit for this preliminary test, the twelve-minute limit was found to be most suitable for the classes concerned. For the succeeding tests the classes were divided into groups of four, each group containing a 7A, a 7B, a 6A, and a 6B class of equal rank with other classes of the same half-grade. As the classes in a group were tested in rapid succession, about sixty-five minutes were required for a group?from 9:25 to 10:30 in the morning or from 12:50 to 1:55 in the afternoon. The first test was given to Group 1 on Tuesday morning, to Group 2 on Tuesday afternoon, to Group 3 on Wednesday morning, and to Group 4 on Wednesday afternoon. The second test was given to Group 2 on Thursday morning, to Group 1 on Thursday afternoon, to Group 4 on Friday morning, and to Group 1 on Friday afternoon. Thus each class was tested in the morning and in the afternoon; and each test was given in the morning and in the afternoon to the same number of classes of relatively equal rank. By this method the practice effect in the second test was neutralized by approximately equal representation in the morning and in the afternoon results. To complete this neutralization the classes in Groups 1 and 2 were tested in descending order (7A, 7B, 6A, 6B) and the classes in Groups 3 and 4 were tested in ascending order (6B, 6A, 7B, 7A). A teacher generally remained in the room during a test, but assisted me only in distributing and collecting the papers. The children enjoyed the tests, which they thought were only for correctness and speed. They did not know the time limit for the work; and the few who finished early spent the extra time in looking over their papers. Where children were absent from one test or where they did not follow important directions, their papers were thrown out.
The hygienic conditions in the new school building were unusually good, but there had been no medical inspection of the children. Opening exercises were held in each room from 9:00 to 9:20, recess was given from 12:15 to 12:35, and the first bell for dismissal was rung at 2:15. The only recess did not give much invigoration, because the boys’ playground was small, and most of the girls remained indoors in spite of beautiful weather. Some pupils ate a light lunch at recess, but nearly all had dinner at home after school. The departmental system of instruction prevailed throughout, with half-hour recitation periods. All classes included both boys and girls, the total represented in my results being 212 boys and 255 girls. The average age was 14.18 years.
After the papers were scored, the averages of the number of examples done and the number right in the morning and in the afternoon tests were made for each class. Then general averages were made for the sixteen classes combined, and the morning and the afternoon results were compared. The number of examples done in the afternoon was 0.68 per cent greater than in the morning; the per cent of examples right in the afternoon was 8.22 per cent less than in the morning. These percentages are strikingly similar to those from the Lynchburg and New York (average of two afternoon tests) experiments, where the increase in quantity in the afternoon was 1.18 and 1.78 per cent respectively, and the decrease in quality 3.08 and 5.61 per cent respectively. As was shown by the New York results, the decrease in quality would be less by a detailed method of scoring. The seventh grade showed more relative efficiency in the afternoon than did the sixth grade, probably on account of better discipline in the former. The seventh grade had an increase of 1.61 per cent in quantity in the afternoon and a decrease of 2.82 per cent in quality; the sixth grade had a decrease of 0.04 per cent in quantity and a decrease of 3.67 per cent in quality.
Complete tables of class and general averages were made for the girls and for the boys, showing the greater relative efficiency of the former in the afternoon. The girls had an increase of 1.78 per cent in quantity in the afternoon and a decrease of 2.48 per cent in quality; the boys a decrease of 1.30 per cent in quantity and a decrease of 3.76 per cent in quality.
The practice effect was calculated by re-arranging the class averages according to first or second test rather than according to morning and afternoon, thus neutralizing for the most part the decrease in efficiency in the afternoon. The sixteen classes showed in the second test an average increase of 12.43 per cent in quantity and an average increase of 7.16 per cent in quality. This large practice effect was mainly due to the difficulty the children had at first in disregarding unnecessary figures in some of the examples.
The final conclusion to be drawn from this experiment in Roanoke with reasoning tests in arithmetic, as well as from those in Lynchburg and New York with the fundamental operations, is that normal, healthy children in the grammar grades, in a hygienic school environment, can meet the requirements of the usual daily school program without injury to themselves or their work.
Disclaimer
The historical material in this project falls into one of three categories for clearances and permissions:
Material currently under copyright, made available with a Creative Commons license chosen by the publisher.
Material that is in the public domain
Material identified by the Welcome Trust as an Orphan Work, made available with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
While we are in the process of adding metadata to the articles, please check the article at its original source for specific copyrights.