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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 8, Issue 2, Article 1 (Dec., 2007) Assessing the effects of tutorial and edutainment software programs on students’ achievements, misconceptions and attitudes towards biology |
The sample consisted of 72 students (age range 14–15 years) enrolled in three ninth grade classes of a public secondary school that is well known for its high standards. The study used intact classes, and the students were equally distributed across the three ninth-grade classes that took part in the study. Randomly, one of the classes (n = 24) received the tutorial software program used computer-assisted instruction and the other class received the edutainment software program used (n = 24) computer-assisted instruction while the last class (n = 24) received regular instruction.
A pretest–posttest control-group experimental research design was used in this research. The participants in three groups were tested before and after a 2-week intervention. The experimental groups’ students were taught by the computer-assisted instruction, whereas the comparison group students received regular instruction. All of the groups received an equal amount of instructional time and were taught the same instructional content. The instruction for the three study groups took place during the same week by the same teacher (one of the researchers) and lasted for a period of two class-hours (45 min each).
The genetic concepts achievement test, the genetic concepts concept test and the biology attitude scale were used in the study.
Genetic concepts achievement test
To measure students’ achievement on the issue of genetic concepts, a genetic concepts achievement test (GAT) was developed by the authors of this study and its content validity and reliability were checked by applying guidelines described previously (Davis, 1988; Haladyna, 1994). The test content and objectives were determined according to the Ministry of National Education's High School Biology Curriculum. The GAT items were selected from the textbooks and preparation books written for the University Entrance Examination. There were 24 multiple choices type items in the test (see sample questions in Appendix A). The items were based on the following categories: The chemical structure of nucleotides and nucleic acids, and their importance for life, the molecular structure of genes, chromosome theories (gene, allele gene and chromosome), genetic code, genetic information, variation and its environmental and genetic causes, the transfer of information between generations. The reliability of the test (r=0.75) was determined by using the Cronbach's alpha.
Genetic concepts concept test
A written test was designed to ascertain students’ misconceptions about genetic concepts. The genetic concepts concept test (GCT) was modified on the basis of review of related literature (Lewis et al, 2000; Lewis & Wood-Robinson, 2000). The set of questions was designed to probe the students' general understanding of the terms gene, DNA, nucleus, chromosome, allele, genetic information, and genetic code. There were fourteen open ended questions including the questions about genetic concepts ideas relating to location and function (see Appendix B).
Individual written responses to the series of written questions were coded according to the coding schemes which were based on students' own responses, and developed through an iterative process of reconsideration. In this way, all responses were categorized in order to make a more detailed comparison into the students’ understanding of genetic concepts. Also, the number of students who gave scientifically correct answers was noted. By using the numbers of correct-wrong answers as the data, the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was found to be 0.88.
Biology attitude scale
Canpolat’s (2002) attitudes scale was adapted as biology attitude scale (BAS) in this study to assess the sample’s attitudes towards science lessons. 15 sentences occurring in a Likert-type scale and with five alternatives were given students to determine their ideas about the biology lesson (see Appendix C ). In these sentences there were positive and negative statements. In the scale, positive statements were scored as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 according to its grade. Negative statements were scored as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 according to its grade. BAS was given at the beginning and end of the implementation to the three groups. The internal consistency reliability of the scale was found to be 0.853.
Instructional Software Programs
The method of selecting the software to be evaluated was determined by the following characteristics. It had to be among the published instructional software programs for computer assisted biology education in secondary schools in Turkey, developed at 9th grade level, and was produced in 2000 or later. Among the pieces of instructional software programs fit the above criteria Rediscover Science and Math(Edunetics Inc.) was selected as tutorial software program and Bioscopia (SEBIT Education and Information Technologies Inc.) was selected as edutainment software program. Both of the instructional software programs covered several different subject areas, but the only portion of the software evaluated for this study was the genetic concepts. A brief description of the two programs is given below.
"Rediscover Science and Math" is a computer program which addresses higher order, creative and critical thinking and it helps to make connections to all content areas. The biology content of the material is arranged around three CD-ROM; 9th grade, 10th grade, and 11th grade. Each unit is further divided into a number of sections, for example, the 9th grade topic covers cell biology, life in ecosystem, and genetic according to the Turkish national biology curriculum. Having selected a section, the student finally accesses information by choosing subsections from them. As an example, the genetic section deals with the DNA, double helix, genetic code, and inheritance. Each unit comprises text, animations, audio commentary, photos, diagrams, and learning activities with feedback. Each activity within a topic takes one classroom period to complete.
Bioscopia is a role-playing science adventure game. The student's mission is to rescue a young scientist. To complete the mission and escape from Bioscopia, students have to learn about biology and apply that knowledge to solve Bioscopia's clever puzzles. Students must search the disabled, abandoned laboratories, solve biology puzzles and eventually create the antibiotic that will ultimately save the biologist. Student will need knowledge of Genetics, Human and Cell Biology, Botany and Zoology to solve the puzzles and unlock doors that will lead the student to be a young scientist. It's not that the puzzles themselves are that hard to solve; there is help available in the science tutor (Big Brain) that features all the answers to the questions and is a presentation of hundreds of fascinating facts and concepts of the biology.
The study was conducted during the second term of 2005–2006 academic years, when “genetic concepts” was being covered as part of the regular school curriculum. The three instruments (GAT, GCT, and BAS) were administered to the students 2 weeks before the treatment commenced as pre-tests. It took 45 minutes for the subjects to respond to the instruments. The instruction for the three study groups took place during the same weeks by the same teacher (one of the researchers). The treatment lasted for a period of four class-hours (45 min each). The three instruments were re-administered to the subjects as post-tests 2 weeks after the treatment ended.
Computer Assisted Instruction Group
Experimental groups had their instruction in the computer laboratory. All the students were computer literate, since they took computer courses as part of the school’s regular curriculum. Since instructional software programs were new for the students, before the treatment students in the experimental groups were trained about the usage of instructional software programs. The students in experimental groups worked individually in a computer lab without any guidance or help from the instructor who was also the researcher. “Rediscover Science and Math” software program was used in the first experimental group (EG1), while the “Bioscopia” software was used in the second experimental group (EG2). Students in EG1 and EG2 followed the instructional program as projected to a screen from the teacher’s personal computer as well as their own computers. The teacher made a brief introduction about the subject that going to be learned and simply presented the contents of the lecture. Then, the students were left to work alone, with minimal interference from the teacher who was present only to respond to questions raised by individual students.
Regular Instruction Group
The control group (CG) was given a traditionally designed instruction, which is a dominant approach in contemporary Turkish Educational System. In the CG, the teacher-directed strategy was used as traditional instruction. The teacher used lecture and discussion methods to teach cell division. The students were required to read the related topic of the lesson from the textbook before lecture. The teacher described and defined the issues and afterward, students were engaged to discussion through teacher-directed questions. The major part of instruction time (70–80%) was devoted to instruction and engaging in discussions stemming from the teacher’s explanation and questions.
One-way ANOVA was used to elicit whether there was a significant difference among groups for the GAT, GCT and BAS. Significance level was decided by taking p values into consideration p>0.05, meant there was not a meaningful difference, p<0.05 meant there was a meaningful difference.
