COMPUTER SIMULATION AND DIGITAL PUZZLE PACKAGES AS DETERMINANTS OF STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ECOLOGY AND GENETICS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OYO STATE

Abstract

Ecology and genetics are taught in Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) Biology to equip students with the knowledge for addressing environmental and hereditary health challenges. Reports on SSS students’ achievement in external examinations in biology revealed that students exhibited poor outcomes in these areas. These have been attributed to the method of instruction used by biology teachers. Previous studies largely focused on factors influencing students’ achievement in ecology and genetics with little consideration for computer-assisted eclectic approach that promote students’ active participation. This study, therefore, was carried out to determine the effects of computer simulation and digital puzzle packages on students’ learning outcomes (achievement, problem solving skills and attitude) in ecology and genetics in SSS in Oyo State, Nigeria. The moderating effects of self efficacy and mental ability were also examined.

The study was anchored on Kolb’s Experiential and Lev Vygotsky’s socio-cognitive learning theories, while the pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with a 4x3x2 factorial matrix was adopted. Four Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly selected and eight schools (two per LGA) were purposively selected based on the presence of a functional computer laboratory. Eight intact Biology classes were randomly selected from SSS II. The schools were randomly assigned to conventional method (92), computer simulation (92), digital puzzle (93) and computer simulation and digital puzzle (94) packages. Treatment lasted eight weeks. Instruments used were Students’ Achievement in Ecology and Genetics (r=0.80), Students Problem Solving (r=0.83) and Mental Ability (r =0.85) tests, Students’ Attitude to Ecology and Genetics (r=0.79) and Students’ Self-efficacy (r=0.80) scales and instructional guides. Data was analysed using Analysis of covariance and Scheffe post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance.

There were significant main effects of treatment on students’ achievement (F(3, 346)=447.59; partial η2=0.80), problem solving skills (F3,346)=836.57; partial η2=0.88) and attitude to ecology and genetics concepts (F(3,346)=327.26; partial η2=0.74). Participants in computer simulation had the highest adjusted post achievement mean score (27.77), followed by computer simulation and digital puzzle (27.41) and digital puzzle (26.72), while the conventional method group had the least adjusted post achievement mean scores (10.69). Participants in computer simulation and digital puzzle had the highest adjusted post problem solving skills mean score (26.62) followed by the digital puzzle (25.80) and computer simulation (25.66), while the conventional method group had the least adjusted post problem solving skills mean score (9.85). Participants in the digital puzzle group had the highest adjusted post attitude mean score (58.07), followed by the computer simulation (55.69) and computer simulation and digital puzzle (54.36), while the conventional method group had the least adjusted post attitude mean score (26.77). There were no significant main effects of mental ability and self-efficacy on students’ learning outcomes in ecology and genetics concepts. The two- way and three- way interaction effects were not significant.

Computer simulation and digital puzzle instructional packages are viable aids, the combination of these packages enhanced students’ learning outcomes in ecology and genetics in senior secondary schools in Oyo State, Nigeria. Therefore, these packages should be adopted more in teaching biology.