MARI: Motivator and Response Indicator

The theory of learning indicates that students would learn more efficiently if they were reinforced as soon as they made the correct response to a new concept. A simple device (MARI) for giving students immediate reinforcement within a class period was designed, built, and tested in actual classrooms. Not only would MARI reinforce the student when he made the correct answer but it would also indicate to the instructor the percentage of the class responding correctly. The merit of this teaching aid was evaluated in terms of the usual hour tests, by comparing the achievement of students in classes using MARI with control groups not using MARI. The first year the results were statistically highly significant in favor of using it. Later results were not. Yet it is strongly believed that some such device could be designed which would enchance classroom learning and that other experiments should be conducted.