Impact of Digital science Laboratory on Students Academic Performance

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The future of every nation including Nigeria lies in the quality of education given to the citizenry. For every developing nation to attain and sustain national development, a well -planned and implemented science and technology education remains the only essential tool for her national development. This is because individuals who acquire scientific and technological literacy, think innovatively and rationally, thus enabling them to conduct themselves within the global acceptable standard (Kalu, James & Iornen, 2019). Science is therefore an integral part of every educational endeavour. This was the main idea why the Federal Republic of Nigeria in her National Policy on Education which was obtained from the Federal Ministry of Education         (FME, 2014) emphasized the teaching and learning of science at all levels of educational system. According to Adejoh and Ekele (2014) science and technology are critical tools for sustainable development worldwide. As a result of the benefits derivable from the study of science and technology, developing nations including Nigeria today are striving hard to improve the quality of life in many areas of health, education, food security, communication, transportation, energy among others. 

Laboratories are an important part of teaching science and achieving its objectives. They can be described as controlled conditions in which scientific experiments are carried out. Previous researches (Bretz, Fay, Bruck, & Towns, 2013, Bruck, Towns, & Bretz, 2010) have been shown that there are many advantages of using labs in teaching science such as students’ deep understanding of science concepts and correcting their misconceptions. In addition, it develops students' abilities in design, evaluation, and problem solving. Furthermore, science laboratory increases students’ curiosity and positive attitudes toward science while nurturing communication skills between students. Laboratory activities can support meaningful learning by forming a link between the new information and the existing information, thus improving students’ conceptual understanding of the material (Hakim, Liliasari, Kadarohman, & Syah, 2016). 

The use of computers in education has increased dramatically in recent years and now computers and related technologies are in most schools all over the world (Dincer, 2015). There is no doubt that the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in classrooms has been increasing dramatically in science classrooms. This is not because the technology provides one way to help science teachers overcome obstacles of their teaching and improve the learning outcomes (Keller & Keller, 2005) only, but it goes beyond that to support the individual with different life skills. One of the recent advances in ICT is what is known as digital lab, which is appeared besides the traditional laboratories. Digital lab offers interesting possibilities for disseminating educational material to students (Fridman, 2014). Rajendran and Divya (2010) considered digital labs as educational potential because they provide an opportunity to “learning by doing for everyone.” Users can explore a variety of scenarios by changing the input and observing the effect on the output. 

Ambusaidi et al., (2018) stated that in the physical laboratories students use hands-on to activate experiential ideas and engage with scientific phenomena in real conditions. There are some challenges that have limited the effectiveness of this type of laboratory and led to the emergence of other types of laboratories. These challenges including: 1) only a limited number of tests and lab exercises can be undertaken in the time available with the limited resources, 2) keeping students safe and secure while they are working in the practical experiments and 3) the materials and instruments that should be provided in these laboratories are highly costs. 

The digital laboratories facilitate the formation of conceptual models by several processes utilizing the benefits of technology. Utilizing technology in digital laboratories taking into account the containment of animations and interactive programs has remarkable effects in science learning. Several studies showed that interactive animations and computerized learning have been found an effective tool for enhancing conceptual understanding of different scientific concepts (Akpinar 2014; Karacop and Doymus 2013). Other advantages of virtual labs have been highlighted by previous researches. It allows for free exploration and collecting/assembling items of apparatus. It also helps students to read information about the items of apparatus and about laboratory procedures (Bretz et al., 2013). The students also will be able to carry out safe, rapid, and cost-efficiency experiments with minimization of error (El-Sabagh, 2010).

Despite the advantages of digital laboratory and the disadvantages of the physical laboratory, it seems teachers are yet to get acquainted to the digital laboratories which perhaps have more advantages and more impact on the science students’ academic performance. Hence, the impact of digital laboratory on science students’ academic performance in Secondary Schools in some selected schools in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The laboratory has been identified as the heart of a good scientific programme which allows students in the school to have experience which are consistent with the goals of scientific literacy. Therefore secondary schools require properly equipped and functional laboratories.

From foregoing, most of the earlier studies from developed countries indicate that virtual laboratory could be an effective instructional tool for enhancing students’ performance in sciences. However, there is very little research on the effectiveness of virtual laboratory for conducting science practicals at the senior secondary school level in Nigeria. Digital laboratory is a new innovation in Nigerian education system particularly at secondary school level, therefore, this study is poised to assessing the impact of digital laboratory on science students’ academic performance in Secondary Schools in some selected schools in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of digital science laboratory on science students’ academic performance (A case study of some selected secondary schools in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.  Specifically, the study examines the:

differences in academic performance between students taught Chemistry practical using digital science laboratory and those taught using physical laboratory.

 differences in academic performance between male and female students taught Chemistry practical using digital science laboratory.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study;

What is the difference in academic performance between students taught Chemistry practical using digital science laboratory and those taught using digital laboratory?

What is the difference in academic performance between male and female students taught Chemistry practical using digital science laboratory?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated:

Ho1: There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students who had Chemistry practical with digital laboratory and those with physical laboratory method.

Ho2: There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Chemistry practical using virtual laboratory package.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The research work will benefit the researcher himself towards the fulfillment of the award of Bachelor’s degree of science in education. Nevertheless, parents, teachers, government and the entire society will benefit in the research work.

If the results of this research work is properly utilized, it promote the idea that science is both a product and process in students by arousing interest in practical work and generally in the practically based science subjects in secondary schools hence increasing and improving in academic achievement in these subjects.

On the other hand, to motivate parents to provide basic requirements of practical lesson(s) for their children in secondary schools and also this convince the science teachers that practical lessons are mostly essential for effective teaching and learning of science subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, agriculture and to say mathematics.

It would also make the government through the ministry of education to realize the need for provision of science equipment to schools and posting of qualified science teachers, technicians and technologists to secondary schools. This is not an issue of jack-off all-trades master of none, because practical has attained professionalism and specialization for which therefore would help Nigerian society in the quest for improved technology and industrialization and economic development.

1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Research Study

According to Mugenda (1999), there are boundaries to any study. The study confined itself to few schools and it was not the entire schools’ population and schools that were involved did not adequately have the laboratory facilities as required. Hence, the study selected few Chemisty students from the selected secondary schools in Jada Local Government Area.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Science Education: is a field of science concerned with sharing of science content, ideas and process skills within the community of scientists

Laboratory: is a forum for science teachers and students within a building to interact with apparatus or equipment under controlled conditions when seeking answers to the problems in nature.