Effects Of Computer Based Instruction On Students' Attitude, Perception Of Classroom Environment And Achievement In Rural Secondary Schools In Kenya

ABSTRACT

It is a government policy that all institutions of learning in Kenya embrace Information

Communicationand Technology (lCT) in all operations including the curriculum as the

world moves towards knowledge based economy. The evidence in literature reveals

positive effects of computer technology in instruction. However, such studies have

concentrated in urban settings. The Effects of Computer Based Instruction (CBI) on

Students' Attitude, Perception of the classroom environment and Achievement in

Biology among rural secondary school learners in Kenya is largely unknown. No study

known to the researcher has been done to determine the effects of CBI in Biology

instruction among rural secondary school learners in Kenya. This study was designed to

investigate the effects of CBI in Biology among rural secondary school learners. This

involved comparison in, attitude, perception of classroom environment and achievement

among rural secondary school learners exposed to the same Biology content on cell

division through a CBI simulation methodology and conventional methods. A CBI

module was prepared in Hyper Text Messaging Language (HTML) format utilizing

multimedia tools including high resolution images, sound files and graphic illustrations.

A Solomon-four quasi-experimental research design was used to investigate the effects

of CBI on students' attitudes perception and achievement as dependent measures. Two .

control groups C1 (N=38) that received the pre-test and C2 (N= 35) which received

conventional instruction whereas two experimental groups E, (N=38) that was pre-tested

and E2 (N=45) which received their instruction through the CBI mode. All groups were

exposed to the same cell division content except for the instructional methods used. Four

rural secondary schools were purposively selected from Bungoma and Kakamega

Counties to take part in the study. A total of 156 subjects took part in this study.

Balloting was used to select subjects that were randomly assigned to treatment and

control groups. Questionnaires and Biology Achievement Test were used to collect

information 'from the learners. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics that

involved the use of means and standard deviations and inferential statistics which

involves t-test. All tests were conducted at a: = 0.05 with the help of a computer

program, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.5 for windows.

Results of the study indicate significant differences between control groups and

experimental groups on attitudes, perception of classroom environment and achievement

in Biology in favour of experimental group. The study concluded that CBI improved

student achievement in Biology and motivated them to overcome the notion of some

concepts in Biology being difficult. Data for student attitudes toward CBI and perception

of the classroom environment revealed that students enjoyed the CBI; they learned from

CBI; and they wanted to use CBI more often in class. It is hoped that the findings of this

study would help educational researchers, planners and secondary school teachers to

successfully design and implement various classroom based innovations that would

enable seamless integration ofICT in classroom instruction.