USING COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL SIMULATIONS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN THE CONCEPT OF CELL DIVISION

ABSTRACT 

Empirical investigations on students’ conception of cell division in Biology indicated a major misunderstanding of some scientific concepts even after being thoroughly taught. Therefore the main aim of this study was to investigate the impact of computer-based instructional simulations in the teaching and learning of cell division. The target population was the form two Biology students of the Seventh Day Adventist Senior High School, Asokore, Koforidua. Two Home Economics classes were selected for this study. The two Home Economics one (2HEI) students constituted the experimental group and the two Home Economics two (2HE2) students constituted the control group. The groups were selected based on a mean score from a pre-test that was administered. The total number of students used for this study was fifty eight. The control group was made up of thirty students whiles the experimental group was made up of twenty eight students. The experimental group was the group with the lower mean score and was taught cell division using computer based instructional simulations for three weeks and the control group was the group with the higher mean score and was taught the same topic but using the traditional method for the same period. After the three weeks a post-test consisting of ten multiple – choice and three short answers theory test items were given to both groups. Descriptive statistic, paired and unpaired t-test were used for the analysis. The results indicated that the experimental group performed better after the post-test as compared to the pre-test. As a result, there is a need for Biology teachers to integrate computer 

simulations module into the teaching and learning processes to enhance students 

understanding of difficult concepts.