ABSTRACT
The study aimed at examining “The effect of Use of computer in flipped and normal classroom situations on secondary school Biology students’ academic achievement and interest in Abia state. The need for the study arose from concerns expressed by stakeholder’s, committed scholars and researchers on the poor academic achievement and interest of students in Biology, and the need to employ innovative blended learning strategies, especially, in a time like this where COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the world so as to ensure continuity and flexibility in teaching-learning delivery. The study adopted quasi experimental design. Six research questions and six hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised of 13,102 senior secondary two (SS2) students of 2019/2020 academic session in Abia state. The instruments for data collection are a 50 item multiple choice Biology Achievement Test (BAT) with options A-D adopted from past WAEC, NECO and JAMB questions and Biology Interest Rating Scale (BIRS). Kudder-Richardson (K-R20) and Cronbach’s Alpha test statistics respectively were used to determine the reliability of the instruments. Reliability index of 0.67 was established for BAT and 0.81 for BIRS. Mean and standard deviation scores were used to answer the research questions while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. Results showed that students who were taught with computer assisted instruction in flipped classroom and in normal classroom situations achieved better and had more interest than those taught with lecture method. The use of computer in flipped classroom increased students’ achievement and interest in Biology more than the use of computer in normal classroom situations. Furthermore, female students taught Biology using computer in flipped classroom performed better than their male counterparts, even though it was not statistically significant. However, male students taught using computer in flipped classroom had more interest which is significant than their female counterparts taught using computer in flipped classroom. Male students who were taught Biology with the use of computer in normal classroom situations had higher mean both in achievement and interest than female students taught with the use of computer in normal classroom situations, though none of them were statistically significant. The educational implication of the findings is that poor academic achievement of students in Biology can be improved with the use of computer in flipped classroom which enhances students’ academic achievement and sustain their interest in learning Biology. It is recommended that Biology teachers should use computer in flipped classroom to enhance students’ academic achievement and sustain their interest in learning Biology. Seminars and workshops should be organized for training and re-training of new and old teachers on the use of these innovative blended learning strategies. This will ensure continuity and flexibility in teaching-learning delivery.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
i
Declaration page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of contents vi
List of tables ix
List of appendices x
List of figures xi
Abstract xii
CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 13
1.3 Purpose of the Study 14
1.4 Research Questions 15
1.5 Hypotheses 16
1.6 Significance of the Study 16
1.7 Scope of the Study 19
CHAPTER
2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Framework 20
2.1.1 Flipped Classroom 20
2.1.2 Computers in Education 23
2.1.3 Computer Assisted Instruction 27
2.1.4 Lecture Teaching Method 32
2.1.5 Academic achievement and achievement test 33
2.1.6 Gender and academic achievement 36
2.1.7 Interest 37
2.1.8 Biology 39
2.2 Theoretical Framework 41
2.2.1 Theoretical framework for the flipped
classroom model of instruction (Revised Bloom’s taxonomy). 42
2.2.2 Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning by
Richard E. Mayer (2005) 45
2.2.3 Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura 49
2.3 Empirical Studies 49
2.3.1 Studies on Flipped Classroom Model of
Instruction 50
2.3.2 Studies on Computer Assisted Instructional
(CAI) 55
2.3.3
Studies on Gender and Academic
Achievement of Secondary School Students in Biology 59
2.3.4 Studies on Gender and Interest of Secondary
School Students in Biology 61
2.4 Summary of Review of Literature 62
CHAPTER
3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Design of the Study 65
3.2 Area of the Study 66
3.3 Population of the Study 66
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 66
3.5 Instruments for Data Collection 67
3.5.1 Validation of the Instruments 68
3.5.2 Reliability of the Instruments 68
3.6 Method of Data Collection 68
3.7 Experimental Procedure 69
3.8 Control of Extraneous Variables 70
3.9 Method of Data Analyses 70
CHAPTER
4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results 72
4.1.1 Research questions and hypotheses 72
4.2 Major Findings of the Study 83
4.3 Discussion of Findings 84
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of the Study 88
5.2 Conclusion 89
5.3 Recommendations 90
5.4 Educational Implications of the Study 91
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies 92
References 93
Appendices 101
LIST OF TABLES
2.1:
Comparison between traditional classroom and flipped classroom in achieving higher order thinking of bloom’s
taxonomy (Zainuddin and Halili, 2016) 44
4.01:
The mean achievement scores of students taught biology with computer assisted instruction in flipped
classroom, computer assisted instruction in normal classroom situations and
lecture method. 72
4.02(A):
Analysis of covariance on the mean achievement scores of students taught biology with computer assisted
instruction in flipped classroom, computer assisted instruction in normal
classroom situations and lecture method 74
4.02(B):
Post hoc tests (Scheffe test) 75
4.03:
The mean interest scores of students taught biology with computer
assisted instruction in flipped
classroom, computer assisted instruction in normal classroom situation and lecture
method. 76
4.04(A):
Analysis of covariance on the mean interest scores of students taught with computer assisted instruction in
flipped classroom, computer assisted instruction in normal classroom situations
and lecture method 77
4.04(B):
Post hoc tests (Scheffe test) 78
4.05:
The mean achievement scores of male and female students taught biology using computer assisted instruction in
flipped classroom 79
4.06:
Analysis of covariance for the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught biology using computer
assisted instruction in flipped classroom 80
4.07:
The mean achievement scores of male and female students taught biology using computer assisted instruction in
normal classroom situations 80
4.08:
Analysis of covariance on the mean achievement scores of male and female Students’ taught biology using
computer assisted instruction in normal classroom situations 81
4.09:
The mean interest scores of male and female students taught biology using computer assisted instruction in
flipped classroom 82
4.10:
Analysis of covariance on the mean interest scores of male and female
students taught biology using computer
assisted instruction in flipped classroom 83
4.11:
The mean interest scores of male and female students taught biology using computer assisted instruction in normal
classroom situations 83
4.12:
Analysis of covariance on the mean interest scores of male and female
students taught biology using computer
assisted instruction in normal
classroom situations 84
LIST OF APPENDICES
IA: Biology Achievement Test (BAT) 101
Answers to BAT 109
Table of Specification for Biology
Achievement Test (BAT) 110
Appendix I(B): Biology Interest Rating
Scale (BIS) 111
II: Lesson Plans 113
111:
Training Guide for Biology Research Assistants (Teachers) on the various instructional strategies 154
IV(A): Reliability Test of Biology
Interest Scale (BIS) 159
IV(B): Biology Achievement Test Reliability
Analysis 160
V(A):
Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) output of research questions
one, three and four 161
V(B):
Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) output of research questions
two, five and six 163
VI (A): Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) Output of Hypothesis One 166
VI (B): Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) Output of Hypothesis Two 169
VI (C): Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) Output of Hypothesis Three 171
VI (D): Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) Output of Hypothesis Four 172
VI (E): Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) Output of Hypothesis Five 173
VI (F): Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) Output of Hypothesis Six 174
LIST OF FIGURES
2.1: Diagrammatic representation of the
study Variables 41
2.2:
Ways that Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is applied to Traditional versus
Flipped Classroom activities (Beth Williams in
Brame, 2013). 42
2.3:
Diagrammatic representation of Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer, 2005). 48
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Biology
according to Medical Dictionary (2013) is defined as the scientific study of
living organisms-plants, animals and micro-organisms including their
relationships with one another and with the inanimate world. Biology as a
natural science is concerned with the study of life and living organisms,
including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution and
taxonomy. Modern Biology is a vast and eclectic field composed of many branches
and sub disciplines. However, despite the broad scope of Biology, there are
certain general and unifying concepts within it that govern all study and
research, consolidating it into single, coherent fields. In general, Biology
recognizes the cell as the basic unit of life, genes as the basic unit of heredity,
and evolution as the engine that propels the synthesis and creation of new
species. It is also understood today that all organisms survive by consuming
and transforming energy and by regulating their internal environment to
maintain a stable and vital condition.
Sub-disciplines
of Biology are defined by the scale at which organisms are studied, the kinds
of organisms studied and the methods used to study them, for example,
Biochemistry examines the rudimentary chemistry of life. Molecular Biology studies
the complex interactions among Biological molecules. Botany studies the Biology
of plants. Cell Biology examines the basic building block of all life-the cell.
Physiology examines the physical and chemical functions of tissues, organs and
organ systems of an organism. Evolutionary Biology examines the processes that
produced the diversity of life. Ecology examines how organisms interact in
their environment.
All
the above mentioned branches and sub-disciplines are integrated in the Nigerian
National Senior Secondary Biology Curriculum and this shows that Biology as a
subject is an interesting one, since it centers on life. It could be offered by
science, art and commercial students from Senior Secondary 1-3 because the
subject centres on life. Biology is a subject offered at senior secondary
school level in Nigeria.
The objectives of the Biology
curriculum for senior secondary schools as derived from the National
Educational Research and Development Council (2009) are to prepare students to
acquire: Adequate laboratory and field skills in Biology; Meaningful and
relevant knowledge in Biology; Ability to apply scientific knowledge to
everyday life in matters of personal and community health and agriculture; and
reasonable and functional scientific attitudes. These objectives explicitly
reveal the indispensable nature of the subject. Furthermore, the Biology curriculum covers the
major themes of: Organization of life; organisms at work; the organisms and its
environment; and continuity of life with numerous topics and sub-topics under
these themes. With these, it can be deduced that Biology as a subject is very
important, not only to this nation towards nation building but also to the
world at large.
In view of the importance of Biology,
various science educators have expressed concern over the poor achievement and
interest of students in the subject in senior secondary schools over the years
(Njoku as cited in Ezere, 2020). Many factors have been attributed to students’
poor achievement and lack of interest in Biology. Ibe (2015) presents the
following as prominent factors contributing to the observed poor performance
and interest in Biology: the teaching method used by Biology teachers; learning
methods adopted by students, difficult nature of the topics/concepts, lack of
equipment and instructional materials for teaching Biology. The West African
Examination Council (WAEC) Chief Examiner’s reports (2016, 2017, 2018) have
consistently enumerated some of the weaknesses of the candidates to be poor
answers to questions bordering on descriptions, inability to adhere to
instructions, poor interpretation of questions, poor definitions amongst many
others.
Similarly, Ibe (2015) observed that
poor preparation of the students due to weak instructional strategies and
dearth of instructional facilities account for students’ poor performance in
public examinations in Biology. The inability of students to engage actively in
the learning process tends to predispose the students to constant rote learning
and lack of interest leading to poor academic achievements.
The
conventional (expository) method of teaching Biology in most Nigerian
classrooms is teacher-centred. This method of teaching lays explicit emphasis
on the teaching and gives lesser attention to students’ input in the learning
process. When constantly exposed to the conventional mode of teaching, students
resort to rote/memorization of concepts. The conventional (expository)
instructional method may not be able to achieve the needed goals in Biology in
this 21st century. National Teachers’ Institute, NTI (2008b) remarked that the
conventional instructional method is teacher-centered, while Adeyemi (2012)
unreservedly posited that the conventional instructional method is
characterized by emphasis on instructor’s behavior, rather than students’
behavior, minimal responses of students to instructional materials, and delayed
feedback on students’ performances. The search for effective and efficient delivery
of instruction to students has been a major concern of science educators.
Okarter (2018) also attributed
students’ poor achievement in science subjects to poor instructional and
learning methods, involving excessive copying of notes and rote-learning as
encouraged by expository method of instruction. Since the conventional method
of teaching and learning Biology is not yielding the desired result, it is
ideal that there should be a shift beyond the conventional approaches to teaching
and learning of Biology for there to be an improved performance and interest in
Biology among secondary school students by employing innovative
teaching-learning techniques.
Nigeria is a developing nation where
there are emergence of electronic operations and services cutting across all
facets of life ranging from information flows, teleconferencing, banking,
business to education. Effective and efficient utilization of the services
provided by these electronic technologies enhance the qualities of lives of
individuals and the educational height of scholars too. In this era of
information and communication technologies (ICTs), modern developments of
innovative technologies have provided new possibilities to teaching and
learning.
Innovative technologies therefore are those
technologies that are relatively new, time saving, reducing difficulty index,
interactive, collaborative, integrative, motivating and multimedia in nature.
Examples of such are ICTs which are modes of communication technologies,
network technologies, computer technologies and mobile technologies.
ICT can change the way teachers
teach, be useful in supporting more student-centered approaches to instruction
and help in developing the higher order skills as well as promote collaborative
activities (Haddad in Ubani 2017). Generally, ICT holds out the opportunity to
revolutionize pedagogical methods, expand access to quality education, and
improve the management of education systems (World Bank, 2002). Ultimately, the
power of ICT will be determined by the ability of teachers to use the new tools
for learning to create rich, new and engaging learning environments for
students.
Ifegbo
(2010) posited that among the challenges facing the teaching profession is the
ICT pedagogical and methodological issues. The challenge for ICT integration in
teaching and learning processes lies in ensuring that: there is availability of
ICT resources; and that the new generation of practicing teachers is well
prepared to use the new ICT friendly teaching-learning methods, processes and
materials. The new ICT resources for learning will help to prepare students for
the challenges of 21st century work-place and community leadership. With the
emergence of these technologies which are fascinating, though costly, classroom
practice is rapidly changing to include activities that focus more on knowledge
building than on information transmission. It is also obvious that newer
technologies have changed how students learn. The implication is that the
teachers of the 21st century are expected to guide and direct the process of
acquiring knowledge. These newer technologies might address and reverse the
failures of students in Science subjects such as Biology for an improved
academic achievement.
Academic achievement according to Steinmayr, Meißner, Weidinger and Wirthwein (2017) represents
performance outcomes that indicate the extent to which a person has
accomplished specific goals that were the focus of activities in instructional
environments, specifically in school, college, and university. School systems
mostly define cognitive goals that either apply across multiple subject areas
(e.g., critical thinking) or include the acquisition of knowledge and
understanding in a specific intellectual domain (e.g., numeracy, literacy,
science, history). Therefore, academic achievement should be considered to be a
multifaceted construct that comprises different domains of learning. Because
the field of academic achievement is very wide-ranging and covers a broad
variety of educational outcomes, the definition of academic achievement depends
on the indicators used to measure it. Among the many criteria that indicate
academic achievement, there are very general indicators such as procedural and
declarative knowledge acquired in an educational system, more curricular-based
criteria such as grades or performance on an educational achievement test, and
cumulative indicators of academic achievement such as educational degrees and
certificates. All criteria have in common that they represent intellectual
endeavours and thus, more or less, mirror the intellectual capacity of a
person. Therefore, academic achievement defines whether one can take part in
higher education, and based on the educational degrees one attains, influences
one’s vocational career after education. Besides the relevance for an
individual, academic achievement is of utmost importance in judging the quality
of education of a nation.
The
attempt to take care of poor achievement of students in science inspired some
researchers to use computer technology in the classroom. As an important
subject required for sustainable development and nation building, Biology
should be taught using effective strategies capable of seeking for and
maintaining high interest and achievement among students, irrespective of
gender. Similarly, students should study Biology using learning models or
strategies that will improve their interest and achievement in the subject. Ndirika
(2012) posits that for high achievement in sciences, science teachers have to
incorporate learner-centred strategies which will enhance students’
understanding of science concepts and create conducive environment that enhance
effective teacher-student interaction. These learner-centred strategies also
play a vital role in arousing and sustaining the interest of students in
various science subjects such as Biology. Hence, the ICT learner-centred
strategies that this research work is focused on are Flipped classroom model of
instruction and Computer assisted instructional strategies.
Teaching
methods play a vital role in ensuring effective, interesting and stimulating
learning and as such inappropriate teaching methods may hinder learning. There
are as many methods and techniques of teaching as there are different views of
the teaching process. A teacher’s approach to teaching will therefore generally
reflect his view of the subject or how he was taught himself (STAN cited in
Okebanama, 2019).
Contributing,
Ezeani (2014) noted that Educationists believe that there is no best method of
teaching and that the best method, however, is that which involves the learner
in a number of meaningful activities, where the teacher does not do it all
alone. According to Ukegbu (2013), in choosing methods for teaching, teachers
should consider the methods that will successfully capture and sustain
students’ interest.
Interest, an aspect of affective
response, is a construct that has to do with the level to which one likes or
dislikes something. It could be aroused in an individual by activity that tends
to satisfy the individual’s needs. Since a lot of Biology concepts are adjudged
uninteresting, students’ interest in the subject can easily be at low ebb
(Kuru, 2019). Contributing, Ibe (2017) revealed three views of students which
contribute directly to low interest in science: i) science teaching is mostly
transmissive; (ii) the content of school science has an abstractness that makes
it irrelevant and (iii) learning science is relatively difficult, for both
successful and unsuccessful students. Okarter (2018) maintained that students’
interest in learning science subjects could be achieved through carefully
choosing the most appropriate instructional strategy. Ozturk (2015) suggested that
instructional strategies to be used in classrooms should give room for students
to thoroughly question the content which they are exposed to. Contributing,
Awodun and Adekunle (2016) in their research revealed that there is significant
relationship in the students’ academic interest in Biology and students’
academic achievement in Biology. It has been observed that most learners
perform below average due to lack of motivation and interest; they are neither
motivated to learn nor do they do what they are expected to do (Lebata and
Mudau as cited in Nwafor and Obeten, 2018). Several researchers have suggested
that only motivation (which can be sustained by interest) directly affects
academic achievement; all factors affect achievement only through the effect of
motivation (Tucker as cited in Nwafor and Obeten, 2018). However, it is not
easy to understand what motivates learners. Many studies have been conducted in
this topic which has led to the development of several theories of motivation
(Lebata and Mudau in Nwafor and Obeten, 2018).
Ojo
(2015) noted that interest is used as a motivating force through which learning
should take place. However, Ibe (2017) noted that new ways of accessing the
processes that link interest and learning are required. Ojo (2015) suggested
that in addition to more standard quantitative and qualitative methodologies,
the complexity of academic development in specific domains requires the
creation of alternative techniques that can document and describe the nature of
interest and the influence of interest on students’ learning. Both the nature
and the influence of interest on students’ learning may vary across gender.
Gender has been
identified as one of the factors influencing students’ interest and achievement
in learning (Nworgu, 2015). Gender issues as a factor or variable are not yet
skewed to any direction. There are different findings on gender matters, some
in favour of males, others in favour of females and sometimes no gender
differences are found. According to Orlich,
Harder, Callahan, Trevisan and Brown (2010), instructional strategies
happen to be one of the causes of sex-related differences in science
performance.
Innovative techniques according to
Iwu, Ike and Chimezie as cited in Okebanama (2019) are the new techniques,
methods or approaches deliberately designed and developed to improve
effectiveness and efficiency in a given setting. The
Flipped Classroom Model of Instruction is a pedagogical model where the
instructor shares predetermined digital resources with students through a
platform outside the classroom, and related content is also taught through this
outside platform asynchronously (Bergmann & Sams in Cabi, 2018). Inside the
classroom, active, collaborative, and interactive problem-solving activities
and consolidation practices are carried out. Thus, learners are more active in
the class, internalizing the contents through a wide range of classroom tasks.
Flipped classroom is an educational technique which consists of two significant
components: (1) the use of computer technologies such as video lectures and (2)
the involvement of interactive learning activities (Cabi, 2018).
A flipped classroom model of instruction can also be referred
to as a type of blended learning that reverses the
traditional learning environment by delivering
instructional content, often online (sometimes offline), outside of the
classroom. It moves activities, including those that may have traditionally
been considered homework, into the classroom. In a flipped classroom, students
watch online/offline lectures, collaborate in online
discussions, or carry out research at home while engaging in concepts
internationalization or advancement in the classroom with the guidance of a
mentor. The
defining characteristic of the flipped classroom instructional model is that
content and material are delivered primarily outside of the classroom while
in-class time is used "to work through problems, advance concepts, and
engage in collaborative learning".
Using online/offline educational technologies to deliver content and
material outside of the classroom frees up in-class time for active and
collaborative application of content with the support of classmates and the
instructor. This model is designed to allow students to independently engage
with materials on their own time and at their own pace, shifts focus from the
instructor to the learner, and promotes active learning and problem-solving (Galway, Corbett, Takaro, Tairyan & Frank, 2014).
The beauty of the flipped classroom is that it allows the teacher to move away
from the traditional role of instructor and become more of a ‘coach’ moving
from student to student providing support or guidance where necessary.
Galway, et al. (2014)
opined that the flipped classroom model involves more than shifting content delivery
outside of class time. It represents a broader shift in how we think about the
learning process. It is grounded in several interconnected theories of learning
and pedagogy. The explicit attention to interactive and collaborative learning
draws on Piaget’s theory of active learning which highlights that learning
occurs when we act on and apply new ideas and concepts. In terms of Revised
Bloom’s taxonomy of thinking and learning, the flipped classroom enables both higher
and lower levels of cognitive work. More specifically, students do lower level
cognitive work, that is, the acquisition of knowledge (remembering,
understanding and analyzing) independently and outside of class while
higher-order cognitive work including knowledge application, analysis, and
synthesis occur during class time with the support of peers and instructors. The
flipped classroom intentionally shifts instruction to a learner-centered model
in which time in the classroom is used to explore topics in greater depth and
create meaningful learning opportunities while students are initially
introduced to new topics outside of the classroom. In a flipped classroom,
'content delivery' may take a variety of forms. Often, video lessons prepared
by the teacher or third parties are used to deliver content, although online
collaborative discussions, digital research, and text readings may be used. It
has been shown by previous researchers in different countries that the ideal
length for the video lesson is 8-12 minutes (Galway et al., 2014).
There is no single or
standard way to design and implement the flipped classroom instructional model
in practice. The means of delivering content and the ways in which face-to-face
class time is used will vary with the characteristics of the students,
background of the instructor, available resources and the subject matter. Moreover,
lessons should include four major components in order to be entitled as the
Flipped Classroom (Flipped Learning Network, FLN, 2014). First, educators
should restructure the learning environment and time in a flexible way,
considering the individual and group expectations and needs. Second,
instructors need to teach the contents in detail, adopting a learner-centered
approach and provide rich learning opportunities and activities reflecting a
particular learning culture for the specific groups of students. Third,
educators should regularly keep track of the difficulty level of the contents
and the notes taken by the students as well as their progress, and they also
apply active learning strategies that will maximize conceptual understanding of
the students. Finally, the instructor should be a professional educator who
continuously monitors students in their learning processes, immediately
provides feedback, and assesses students' outputs.
Fulton in Hereid and Schiller
(2013) listed the following among the advantages of flipped classroom: Students
move at their own pace; Doing ‘homework’ in class gives teachers better insight
into students’ difficulties and learning styles; Teachers can more easily
customize and update the curriculum and provide it to students at any time; Classroom
time can be used more effectively and creatively; Teachers using this method in
other countries report seeing increased levels of students’ achievement,
interest and engagement; The use of technology is flexible and appropriate for
21st century learning.
The essential principle of
Flipped Classroom Model is to ensure better comprehension and consolidation of
the content, which is learned by the students outside classroom, under the
guidance of the instructors inside the classroom (Herreid & Schiller,
2013). After having concentrated on the topics while listening to the lectures
or watching the videos outside the classroom, the students internalize them
with the help of practical applications and interacting with the instructor in
the classroom.
The
application of computer in teaching-learning process is often referred to as
Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI), Computer Based Instruction (CBI) or
Computer Assisted Learning (CAL). Computer-Assisted-Instruction (CAI) is a
self-instructional approach to teaching. It is the kind of teaching that
follows a sequence. This means that the learning materials are presented in an
ordered, structured manner which has been prepared before the learner begins
his task. It is characterized by breaking up of the learning content into small
bits that lead a learner from what he knows to new and more complex knowledge
and principles. Simple problems are also given in each step. The learner
responds at each step. When his response is correct, reinforcement is given by
the immediate confirmation of the right answer or a correction of the wrong
answer. The idea is for the first concept or skill to be mastered first before
new ones are introduced. The learner going through the materials is aided by
suggestions and hints. Also, there are frequent repetition of key terms and
concepts. This educational method has been formed by combining computer
technology and learning principles by oneself (Hancer & Tuzeman, in Ubani,
2017).
According
to Gana (2013), Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is student centered and can
help students in concretizing the abstract aspect of any subject in senior
secondary school. Therefore, there is need to employ the use of computer in the
classroom that will give room for the teacher to re-strategize, redefine and
make the classroom more interactive. Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is an
interactive instructional technique in which a computer is used to present
instruction, monitor learning and select additional instructional material in
accordance with individual student’s need. Computer Assisted Instructional (CAI)
packages are basically software programs developed for self-education, and can
be used as a teaching aid. Several researches have been carried out on the use
of computer in teaching and learning and it has been noted that computer makes
teaching and learning effective. Okorie (2014) discovered that CAI not only
enhances teaching and learning but also sustains students' interest during the
learning process. Contributing, Ojo (2015) opined that in order to make
teaching and learning more effective, Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)
should be an established means of instruction in secondary schools. A CAI
application enhances the teaching process, usually by focusing on one
particular learning task and aiming to improve it.
Contributing,
Pilli in Okebanama (2019) noted that CAI allows learners to be able to take
increasingly more responsibility to choose, control, and evaluate their own
learning activities, which can be pursued at any time, at any place, through
any means, at any age. Simply put, learners can decide what they want to learn
and in what order. Furthermore, CAI is visually attractive, since it presents
concepts using demonstrations that are made attractive by animation, colour
and sound. CAI captures and holds students’ attention by providing
opportunities for competition, with the learners’ previous performance as the
opponent (Mahmood in Okebanama, 2019). CAI also eliminates misconceptions by
providing immediate feedback, since immediate feedback prevents incorrect
learning concepts. JAMB drills and practice App is an example. In Computer
Assisted Instructional, rote learning is minimized and meaningful learning can
occur (Renshaw & Taylor, in Ubani, 2017).
Contributing,
Ubani (2017) opined that a teacher could harness the pluralisation of smart
phones and personal computers by giving the students tutorial CAI that covers
the scheme of work for the coming term including academic videos. This could be discussed on school resumption
as prescriptive tutoring. This could get the students studious during the
holidays and help the teacher speed up his teaching since Nigerian Biology
curriculum for senior secondary schools is bulky. More so, students form
discussion groups where they could choose topics to be discussed at a time
using any of the social media such as Whatsapp, facebook, twitter, among
others. A Biology teacher can connect his/her Biology class with another
Biology class from within or outside the country, courtesy of Flipped Classroom
and Computer Assisted Instruction. Even in post-secondary level, a lecturer
going on sabbatical could use Computer Assisted Instructional and Flipped
Classroom to keep teaching the students till he comes back for facial contact.
There is therefore the need to
explore the effects of these two learner-centred instructional strategies
(Flipped Classroom and Computer Assisted Instruction) on the Senior Secondary School
male and female students’ achievement and interest in Biology.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In
a bid to improve the performance and interest of students in Biology, science
educators have constantly encouraged the application of innovative
instructional methods and strategies in the classroom. The method used by
teachers in sharing knowledge with students is one of the factors influencing
learning achievements, ability levels and overall intelligence of students at
all tiers of educational system (Henson, 2004). Intelligence is the general
level of cognitive functioning as reflected in the ability to understand ideas
and utilize abstract symbols in the solution of intellectual problems. While
appropriate instructional methods are likely to enhance overall intelligence,
defective and antiquated pedagogical strategies which are not in consonance
with the age could stifle knowledge retention and realization of learning
objectives.
Flipped
Classroom and Computer Assisted Instruction now holds the key to the current
teaching and learning process in this global pandemic. In the midst of this
COVID-19 Pandemic ravaging the world and the enforcement of social distancing
and wearing of face mask, even in schools; there is no other alternative to
teaching-learning particularly for large classes and worst-hit areas/places
with this virus than Flipped Classroom and CAI. It has come to stay as the new
normal in the educational institutions. Again, there is seemingly limited or no
literature that compared the two technological teaching strategies, that is,
Flipped Classroom and Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). This work therefore,
intends to investigate the effects of Computer Assisted Instruction in Flipped
Classroom and Normal Classroom Situations and Secondary School Biology
Students’ Academic Achievement and Interest.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of the study is to determine the effects of Computer Assisted
Instruction in Flipped Classroom and Normal Classroom Situations on Secondary
School Biology Students’ Academic Achievement and Interest in Abia State. Specifically,
the study will seek to:
1.
Determine the mean achievement scores of students taught Biology with the use
of computer in flipped classroom, the use of computer in normal classroom
situations and lecture method.
2.
Determine the mean interest scores of students taught Biology with the use of computer
in flipped classroom, the use of computer in normal classroom situations and
lecture method.
3.
Ascertain the effect of using computer in flipped classroom on the mean
achievement scores of male and female students in Biology.
4.
Ascertain the effect of using computer in normal classroom situations on the
mean achievement scores of male and female students in Biology.
5.
Determine the effect of using computer in flipped classroom on the mean
interest scores of male and female students in Biology.
6.
Ascertain the effect of using computer in normal classroom situations on the
mean interest scores of male and female students in Biology.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The following research questions will
guide the study:
1.
What are the mean achievement scores of students taught Biology with the use of
computer in flipped classroom, the use of computer in normal classroom
situations and lecture method?
2.
What are the mean interest scores of students taught Biology with the use of computer
in flipped classroom, the use of computer in normal classroom situations and
lecture method?
3.
What is the effect of using computer in flipped classroom on the mean
achievement scores of male and female students in Biology?
4.
What is the effect of using computer in normal classroom situations on the mean
achievement scores of male and female students in Biology?
5.
What effect does the use of computer assisted instruction in flipped classroom have
on the mean interest scores of male and female students in Biology?
6.
What is the effect of using computer in normal classroom situations on the mean
interest scores of male and female students in Biology?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The following null hypotheses will be
tested at α = .05 significance level in this study:
Ho1:
There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students
taught Biology with the use of computer in flipped classroom, the use of computer
in normal classroom situations and lecture method.
Ho2:
There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of students
taught Biology using computer in flipped classroom, computer in normal
classroom situations and lecture method.
Ho3:
There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores
of male and female students taught Biology using computer in flipped classroom.
Ho4: There is no significant
difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught
Biology using computer in normal classroom situations.
Ho5: There is no significant
difference in the mean interest scores of male and female students taught
Biology using computer in flipped classroom.
Ho6: There is no significant
difference in the mean interest scores of male and female students taught
Biology using computer in normal classroom situations.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at comparing the
effects of computer assisted instruction in flipped classroom and normal
classroom situations on secondary school Biology students’ academic achievement
and interest in Biology lessons. The findings of this study when published will
be useful to students, teachers, parents, examination bodies, researchers,
curriculum planners/experts and ministry of education.
The theoretical significance is that
this study will strengthen the working memory that will now help for long term
learning of the students based on cognitive theory of multimedia learning.
Multimedia researchers generally define multimedia as the combination of text
and pictures; and suggest that multimedia learning occurs when we build mental
representations from these words and pictures. It will also increase the ICT
skills of the teachers and students. This study will also make them compliant
with the new normal in the teaching-learning process, especially in times like
this where COVID-19 global pandemic is ravaging the world.
The
result of this study will reveal the most appropriate strategies to be used in
teaching Biology concepts amongst the three methods that are being studied
which are: Flipped Classroom Model of Instruction, CAI and the
conventional/expository method. It might
serve a great deal in arousing the interest of the students in learning Biology,
thereby, increasing their academic achievement. This will not only improve
their achievement in Biology but will also ensure quality Biology candidates
for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, Joint Admissions
Matriculation Examinations and qualified candidates for courses in science in
the tertiary institutions of learning, which in turn might lead to human and
economic development.
The best teaching method when popularized through
publications in professional associations and institution-based journals or
academic fora/platforms such as Academia, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and
Scopus will teach (inform) the teachers on how to utilize it in the classroom
in the course of teaching which will lead to high level of academic
achievement. When students do exceedingly well in Biology, the Biology teacher
will receive the credit. The findings of this study are expected to help
Biology teachers to ascertain whether to separate instructional strategies for
male and female students if possible. It will also serve as a reference to
teachers in other fields of learning to explore and adopt better instructional
approaches in handling abstract and difficult topics and concepts in their own
areas, for improvement.
When
the students do well in Biology and other subjects as a result of the
application of the best teaching strategy or method, the parents will be happy
that their child(ren)/ward(s) is/are doing well in school. Hence, they will be
encouraged to train them further since they are seeing the value of what they
are spending for. This will raise the learning morale of the students and then
gear it towards human and economic development.
It
is hoped that the result of the findings will help examination bodies to
ascertain the students’ academic problems and how to help them out. This will
greatly aid the students in achieving the best in their academic pursuit.
It
will encourage the ministry of education to organize seminars and workshops for
Biology teachers on the best 21st century instructional strategies to use in
order to get the teachers acquainted with some innovative strategies likely to
improve the teaching and learning of Biology and many other subjects. The curriculum
planners might even embed it in the curriculum of Biology and other subjects.
They can as well introduce the best innovative teaching strategy in Teachers’
Education and their training manuals.
To
researchers, the outcome of this research will give them insight and data base
for further research. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge in
that it will add to the existing literature on Flipped Classroom and Computer
Assisted Instruction on Secondary School Students’ academic achievement and
interest in Biology. It is expected therefore, that Nigerian and international
scholars will be encouraged and motivated to carry out further researches on
this important aspect of learning, since learning is now more centred on the
learners.
1.7 SCOPE OF
THE STUDY
The study investigated the effects of
computer assisted instruction in flipped classroom and normal classroom
situations on secondary school Biology students’ academic achievement and
interest in Abia State. The study used co-educational secondary schools in Abia
State. The study was delimited to secondary school students in SS2 since SS1
students are supposedly new to the subject and SS3 students are preparing for
external examinations. Three topics in the SS2 Biology scheme of work were used
for this study. The topics are: Excretory system, Nutrient cycling in nature,
Ecological management (Associations, Adaptation and Pollution). These topics
were chosen because the WAEC Chief examiner (2015 and 2018) reported
unsatisfactory answers to questions bordering Nutrient cycling in nature;
Excretory systems. Also, in the 2017 WAEC Chief examiner’s report summary, it
was reported that questions bordering Associations were misunderstood; and not
relating function with structure for adaptation questions. The treatment
session lasted for six weeks. The study also ascertained the level of students’
interest in Biology. Gender was treated as a moderating variable in this study.
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