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A meta-analysis of Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment Shiell, Janet Lillian

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Instrumental Enrichment, an educational program developed by Reuven Feuerstein, which attempts to improve an individual's ability to reason. A meta-analysis was performed on studies that had been conducted between the years 1979 to 1996. Thirty-six studies were analyzed according to their results from measurements in the cognitive/visual-perceptual, academic achievement and affective domains. The results from the meta-analysis were mixed. There were significant combined effect sizes of 0.24 for non-verbal ability, 1.41 for verbal ability, and 0.60 for one combination of full-scale ability. Significant effect sizes for measures of visual perception and visual-motor ability were 0.42, 0.71 and 1.68. There were also significant effect sizes for general achievement and for one combination of math achievement at 0.26 and 0.29 respectively. The intellectual achievement locus of control effect size was significant at 0.33. (Cohen (1988) considers an effect size of 0.20 to be small, that of 0.50 to be of medium size, and that of 0.80 to be large.) All effect sizes for reading were non-significant as was that for the Learning Potential Assessment Device. All other measures, such as those for self-confidence, self-concept, motivation and attitudes, in the affective domain were non-significant. One effect size for motivation and attitudes was significantly negative, indicating that the control group outperformed the treatment group. The results are discussed in terms of near- and far-transfer of learning.

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