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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 |
Computer-assisted instruction is a widely studied and supported method of teaching. Numerous meta-analyses and review articles have been published showing positive effect sizes supporting CAI over the other teaching methods on student’s academic achievement (Bayraktar, 2001; Chambers, 2002; Christmann & Badgett, 2003; Fletcher-Flinn & Gravatt, 1995; Kulik, 1994; Lowe, 2001; Soe, Koki, & Chang, 2000; Tsai & Chou, 2002). The findings of this study concerning the effects on students’ achievement are consistent with the ideas of the previous reports. It was revealed in the study that the both of the experimental groups at genetic concepts achievement were more successful than the CG after the treatment.
The significant academic achievement of the students in the experimental groups could be explained by the fact that the instructional software programs created a learning environment in which students can learn at their own pace. Interactive teaching makes students more aware of their own knowledge. Software programs appeared to made students more active, compared with being passive recipients of knowledge as in CG.
In addition, in regard to students’ academic achievement there were some differences between the experimental groups. The data obtained from GAT illustrated that tutorial software was more effective than edutainment software on students’ learning’s. In edutainment software, the game format was more on the foreground than tutor format. Students spent most of their time exploring strange locales, searching for clues and collecting needed items rather than benefiting from the science tutor. The game format offers possibilities that students often find appealing, but it must be emphasized that their purpose is first and foremost to develop, reinforce, and refine some aspect of learning. Unlike a simple noninstructional computer game, instructional games must retain instructional value as their primary goal. Whereas, several skills are typically used to play an instructional game, the focal point of the game should be on the application of well-defined learning skills.
Many studies have been implemented about the influences of computer based instructions on students attitudes do not agree whether it makes positive changes in attitudes towards science and science lessons (Mitra, 1998). For example, Selwyn (1999) reported that computer assisted material develops a positive attitude towards science education. In contrast to this, Shaw and Marlow (1999) suggested that computer assisted material do not show a positive effect on students’ attitudes. In this study, only edutainment software programs were more effective than CG on student’s attitudes.
Tutorial and instructional game designs are merged edutainment software program provided “more student-centered learning”, teaching students how to learn by themselves. Students spent time exploring strange locales, searching for clues and collecting needed items as well as benefiting from the science tutor. However, there was no different effect between the tutorial software program used experimental group and the control group on students’ attitudes. Although there were some learning subjects to develop students’ interests in tutorial software program, it also had some drawbacks. For example, following the pathways was time-consuming as the screen changes take too long. Images, animations, and diagrams were generally unclear and they had low resolution quality than students might expect to find in software program. Also, sounds used in this software program for example to reinforce correct answers, to prompt the student to illegal responses, to entertain the student were not chosen conveniently with the age of the students.
Misconceptions are very important during the learning processes of individuals. It is well known that it is not easy to eliminate the misconceptions by just employing traditional instructional methods. One of the alternative ways of overcoming this problem may be using computer assistant materials in science classrooms (Çepni et al, 2006). In the present study, only tutorial software program provided better learning environments for students to understand genetic concepts with respect to CG. Tutorial software program at building genetic concepts were more helpful than the CG after the treatment. However, this study revealed that there were still some misconceptions in the tutorial software program used experimental group even after the treatments. These misconceptions were generally related to the widespread lack of understanding of the physical link between chromosomes and genetic material, and the relationship between the behavior of chromosome in cell division and the continuity of genetic information both within and between organisms and thus to visualize and conceptualize them is difficult for students. This shows that misconceptions may be reduced and/or dismissed if teaching–learning activities are given at comprehension and application levels (Karamustafaoğlu et al., 2003).
It is critical that lessons are planned in such a way so as to concentrate using the computer assisted materials on the topics in a lesson that will help to computer assisted learning. Having an entire teaching module on a CD-ROM with multimedia assets are more effective to improve student’s academic learning. Keeping the balance between the educational content and computer entertainment is critical to realize desired educational goals. Otherwise, changing students’ attitudes towards science lessons without improving academic achievement will be distant from the purposes of CAI.
The findings of the study provide further support for the use of educational software programs in both research and teaching. The results revealed the need for the further researches to develop different teaching approaches for the situations that the aim of the teaching is completely eliminate any misconceptions. Findings might be useful for informing classroom practices in the teaching of science concepts and the development of suitable materials promoting students’ understanding in science. Furthermore, teachers’ awareness of students’ misconceptions could itself contribute to the improvement of their teaching.
Although many educators devote tremendous efforts with great expectation that computer assisted material will dramatically increase students’ achievement, the results of this study provide to classroom teachers a research-based evidence for positive outcomes by using different computer assisted materials in instruction. The present study also revealed the effects of some software’s learning benefits from CAI experiences for students. It can be concluded that computer assisted materials could improve student achievement, and change misconceptions if it can achieve to keep the balance between the educational content and the entertainment, lastly improve students’ attitudes toward biology lessons if it is designed with the consideration of students learning needs.
It is hoped that this investigation will serve as a motivating force for further interest and research in the area of effectiveness of educational software programs on students’ understanding of science concepts, attitudes, and achievements.
