ABSTRACT
The study examined the effects of PowerPoint Presentation modes
on the achievement and retention of junior Secondary School three (JSS3)
students in Basic science. Basic science students exposed to Text- picture mode
of PowerPoint presentation were compared with their counterparts exposed to the
Text- animation mode to ascertain whether significant differences exist in
their mean achievement and retention scores. The study also investigated the
influence of gender on academic achievement and retention of JSS3 students in
Basic science. Four research questions and six null hypotheses guided the
study. The researcher reviewed related literature. A quasi-experimental
non-equivalent control group research design involving two intact classes were
used. The accessible population comprised of 1359 JSS3 basic science students
in the 11 co-educational public secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government
Area. A sample of eighty (80) students from two co-educational schools were
drawn from two intact classes. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample
Nsukka Central Development Council and the two schools that were used for the
study. Random sampling techniques were used to draw two intact classes in the
two schools. The classes were assigned to the two treatment groups,
Text-picture and Text-animation modes of PPT by balloting. The regular Basic
science teachers of the selected schools were trained and used for the study.
The instrument for data collection was the Basic Science Achievement Test
(BSAT). The BSAT with a temporal stability of 0.78 and internal consistency of
0.63was found to be adequate. Four BSAT items were adopted from (JSSCE)
past questions while 22 were adapted. The instrument was validated by three
experts, one in Measurement and Evaluation, one in Science Education and one in
Arts Education. The data was analyzed using Mean, Standard Deviation and Analysis
of Covariance. The result of the analysis showed that Text-animation group
performed better than Text-picture group in achievement and retention in Basic
science, though not significant. Gender was not a significant factor in
students’ achievement and retention in Basic science. The interactive effects
of modes of PowerPoint presentation and gender on students’ achievement in
Basic science was not significant. It was then recommended that teachers should
embrace the use of Text-animation mode of PowerPoint presentation in the
instructional process. Training, Orientation courses, workshops and seminars on
how to design learning content using good presentation software like PowerPoint
presentation should be conducted for basic science teachers. It was also
suggested that Professional organizations like the National Association of
Educational Media and Technology (NAEMT), Science Teachers Association of
Nigeria (STAN) and all other stakeholders in Education should undertake the
production of text-animation mode of PowerPoint presentation packages for
instructional use in schools. Both male and female students should be
given equal opportunity in exploring text-animation mode of
PowerPoint presentation and other innovative techniques in teaching and
learning Basic science. It was concluded that Text-animation mode of PPT
is an operationally plausible strategy for the enhancement of students’
achievement and retention in Basic science at the secondary school level in
Nigeria.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of study
Education is the key that enable the public to move with time
and attain excellence in science and technology. This is why the Federal
Republic of Nigeria (2004) stated clearly in the National Policy on Education,
that education as an instrument could be used to meet the needs of people and
determine the kind of society which would evolve. However, there are many
levels of education in Nigeria they include; Nursery/pre-primary education,
Primary education, Secondary education and Tertiary education. One of the aims
and objectives of secondary education is to provide trained manpower in the
applied science and raise a generation of people who can think and contribute
to the development of the society (FRN, 2004).An important aspect of secondary
education is science education. Science education enables people to use
scientific principles and processes in making personal decision and to
participate in discussion of scientific issues that affect the society.
(National Science Education Standard, 1996).
However, science education is the bedrock of a realistic
national development. There are two basic fields of science. They include:
Natural science, the study of the natural world and Social science; the
systematic study of human behaviour. Natural and Social science runs across the
following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth science etc., all
embedded in a given subject known as Basic Science. Basic Science is one of the
subjects taught/offered in the Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Basic
science is formally called integrated science. It is an integrated science
course that generally deals with the study of living things and non-living
things. Basic science, is the first form of science a child comes across at the
Secondary school level. It prepares students at the Junior Secondary School
level for the study of core science subjects (physics, chemistry, biology) at
the Senior Secondary School level (Olarewaju,1994). This by implication, means
that for a student to be able to study single science subjects at the Senior
Secondary School level successfully, such student had to be well grounded in
basic science at the Junior Secondary School level. Teachers, School
administrators, Curriculum experts and Society at large believe that basic science
prepares and grooms the students to do well in science subjects in their senior
classes and in university education.
Basic Science Curriculum was reviewed in the year 2007 by
Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), where some new
topics like: desertification, drug abuse, depletion of ozone layer and their
effects among others were added to the existing one to create awareness on the
high rate of climate change in the world today. Depletion of Ozone layer as one
of the new topics in JSS3 is a very important topic to be taught with a
concerted effort. This is because the rate at which Ozone layer depletes and
its effect on human being is increasing with time. However, having taught
junior secondary school three students for five years, the researcher observed
that there are some topics in the basic science curriculum that are difficult
to teach and learn as well. Depletion of ozone layer is one of them. Ozone
layer can be depleted by production and emission of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs),
which accounts for about 80% of the total depletion of ozone, hydro
chlorofluorocarbon (HCFCs) and Volatile organic compound (VOCs). These gases
are often emitted by vehicles, as a bi-product of industrial process,
refrigerants and aerosols (Chandramita, 2012). As the ozone depletes in the
stratosphere, it forms a ‘hole’ in the layer. This hole enables harmful
ultraviolet rays to enter the earth’s atmosphere. This brings about many
health’s related issues like skin cancer, eye damage, cataracts, immune system
damage, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, throat irritation, as well as
earth disasters and climate change across the globe.
Many reports and researches have shown series of earth disasters and other
effects of ozone layer depletion in Nigeria and in the world at large. For
instance, it was reported by the state of Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation
Agency that the flooding in Kano in August 2013 destroyed about 408 houses.
Over one thousand, two hundred (1,200) houses were destroyed and seven thousand
(7,000) people displaced in Abare and Toni – Angiama in Patani area of Delta
state as a result of flood in October 5th2012.Atawa (2012) reported
that there has been high amount of rainfall which has been attributed to
climate change and global warming as a result of depletion of Ozone
layer.
It is quite alarming that the public seems not to be aware of Ozone layer
depletion and how to prevent or reduce its effect on the earth and its
inhabitants. Tosin (2013) pointed out that despite the spirited sensitisation
programme and advocacy by different environmental right group and
intercontinental bodies; it appears that many people still do not have idea of
what climate change is and the attendant environmental issues that face them as
individuals or as a nation. This may be attributed to ignorance or lack of
information.
Ignorance of the people thereby affects students in Junior Secondary
Schools. Therefore, it is important to give adequate information on climate
change to the young Nigerian students, especially those in the junior secondary
schools. Such new topic as ozone layer depletion is introduced in their
curriculum to sensitise and educate them on how to be conscious of their
environment and to be able to prevent those earth disasters and their effects.
Failure to teach and learn these topics well may lead to poor academic
achievement.
Achievement is what someone has done successfully, especially
using his own effort and skill (Ishiwu, 2014). In the same line, Igbo (2014) in
Anekwe (2006) defined achievement as the capability to operate efficiently,
react quickly or perfectly to a given task. In his words he stated that to
achieve is to accomplish, acquire or gain by effort or do something
successfully with an effort or skill. Academic achievement on the other hand is
an outcome of teaching and learning encountered. (Anekwe 2006). It
reflects the extent to which students have attained their educational stated
objectives as well as students’ cognitive attainment in the core subjects at
school level. In line with the above Iwundu, in Ernest-Ehibudu and Opurum
(2013) defined academic achievement as the degree or level of success attained
at the end of an endeavour. The yardstick for measuring ones level of academic
achievement is by assessing the academic performance of an individual through
test and observation. Students’ achievement tests are used to describe
student’s strength and difficulties as at the time the test was given. It is
mostly used in determining the relative position or rank of students with
respect to their performance in various fields of learning, for instance
sciences. Anekwe (2006) defined science achievement as a test for measurement
and comparison of skills among science students. This shows rate of knowledge
demonstrated by an individual after learning has taken place. Operationally,
Science achievement can be defined as how well a learner accomplishes work in
science setting and changes in behaviour after learning has taken place. Students’
poor achievement in basic science has been observed over the years, with
special reference to secondary school students in Nsukka local government of
Enugu State. The result of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)
conducted by state Ministry of Education, Enugu in 2012, 2013, and 2014
indicates students’ poor achievement and difficulty in crediting Basic science.
Specifically, schools in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, in the
above mentioned years, 22.5% of students scored credit or above credit grade
while about 74.5% had ordinary pass in Basic science (Appendix 1).The rate of
achievement may be dependent on the ability of the learner to retain what has
been learnt.
Retention is referred to as the ability to remember or utilize
already acquired knowledge and skill. It is also seen as the skill or knowledge
or competencies a learner acquire and internalizes from a learning situation
after forgetting has taken place, (Ezugwu, 2013).However, Momoh, in Abd-El-Aziz
(2013) defined retention as the repeat performance by a learner, of behaviour
earlier acquired, elicited after an interval of time. A student is said to have
retained something when he/she has the capacity to remember something,
knowledge, skill, habits, attitude or other responses initially acquired. This
implies that high retention may lead to high achievement.
Some research studies showed that inadequate coverage of
syllabus, ineffective method of teaching and instructional media used, can make
or mar the retention and achievement rate of a particular concept taught. The
manner in which science subjects are taught by teachers in the classrooms had
been highlighted as an important factor affecting students’ achievement and
retention in science. Udeji (2007) and Udousoro (2002) in their studies
identified that method of teaching adopted by a teacher affects the level of
student’ retention and achievement in school. Supporting this, Omeje (2001)
stated that the extent to which a teaching method is effective can be judged
from the effect of the teaching method on student’s achievement in class test
and examination (both external and internal). In line with the above, Ezugwu
(2013) noted that effective teaching as a result of the use of appropriate
method and instructional media might facilitate learning and make it more
meaningful. Effective teaching helps the learner to learn better while poor
teaching would naturally lead to poor learning and consequently poor achievement
and retention.
Besides the teaching method, instructional media for students to interact with
becomes necessary as this will provide a first-hand experience which guarantees
learning (Okoye, 2003). As observed by Examination Development Centre (EDC)
Enugu, (2015), students’ performance in Basic science, BECE was poor, as
majority of the students had below credit for three consecutive years (2012,
2013, and 2014).The continuous inability of the students to get credit in basic
science, therefore the need of a paradigm shift from the conventional method of
teaching to innovative–interactive methods of teaching that is ICT based.
Example Computer Assisted Instructions (CAI), Computer Concept Mapping
(CCM)Video conferencing and presentation software among others. This
traditional method keeps the students passive in class and invariably leads to
poor achievement and retention. (Alumona 2012).Supporting the above, Udo and
Udosen (2010) stated in their study, that most of our teachers are used to chalk-talk
method of teaching, rendering the student passive learners. The use of this
method (talk chalk/ traditional method) contradicts the
students-centred-learning-approach recommended by the Federal Ministry of
Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, FRN 2004). Meanwhile, interest in the
use of modern technology in every discipline is increasing in all nations of
the world. Countries strive to produce more and better trained students through
the adoption of various educational technological innovative techniques.
Educational technologists believe that if educational institutions prepare the
students to meet the challenges of the new millennium, they should accommodate
educational technology competence to fit in their work places after graduation
(Bartsch & Cobern, 2003). This therefore calls for teachers or instructors
to incorporate educational technology in teaching and learning process, thereby
giving the students opportunity to engage actively in the lesson as well as
develop technical skills and explore in more details the content taught. This
however will increase high academic achievement and retention in Basic science,
specifically earth disaster/Ozone layer depletion related topics in the
curriculum.
One
of the educational technologies that is readily available in the classroom is
presentation software. Presentation software allows the teachers and students
to generate many different actions including overheads, slides, hand-outs and
speakers note, all in single file. By interacting with this type of technology,
students play a more active role in their own learning situation. Different
types of presentation software exist. Some of them include: Adobe Persuasion,
Gold Disk Astound, Delta Graph Pro and Microsoft PowerPoint. According to inMcCleland
1994, in Ramazan (2006) all these presentation packages are fairly compatible.
One of this software that is user-friendly, accessible to teachers and allows
arrays of options is PowerPoint by Microsoft.
In this research, Microsoft PowerPoint (full name Microsoft
office PowerPoint) was used because it has advantages over other presentations,
being widely used by business people, educators, trainers, and so on. Apart
from being among the most prevalent forms of persuasive technology, supporters
and critics, generally agree that PowerPoint is easily accessible and saves
time for people who, otherwise, would have used other types of visual
aids, like hand-draw or mechanically typeset slide, blackboard or overhead
projections. Some researches stated that PowerPoint presentation (PPT) enhances
instruction, motivates and influences students learning positively (Harrison
1999, Parks, 199). Connor and Wong (2004), Bartsch and Cobern (2003),
Jonassen, Howland, Moore and Marra (2003), Craig and Amermic (2006) stated that
PPT have become the most prevalent and popular form of multimedia in education,
as students prefer it to presentation from transparencies.
Modes of presentation of PowerPoint software in this study means different ways
in which instruction can be presented using PowerPoint. This modes may vary
from one researcher or teacher to another depending on how the person wants it
namely; Basic PowerPoint (text only),text in combination with still picture
(text-picture), text with animation (text-animation), text with video
(text-video), text with pictures and sound/voice (text-picture-sound), text
with recorded voice(text-voice), text with instructors voice, voice with
pictures(voice-picture), and so on. These above listed modes are combination of
two or three media of interest.
Operationally, this study has two modes of presentation with the following
headings: text with picture and text-pictures and animation.
·
Text- pictures: This mode can be described as PowerPoint
presentation slide that has typed
words or text and images or pictures on the concept to be
taught. The text illustrates or explains the images. It is a mixed approach
that contains note, though in a more abbreviated format that can be copied by
students during or after the lesson.
·
Text- animation: This is a combination of the above mentioned
mode and animation. It is also
a mixed approach where there is text explaining the vital
points, pictures for illustrations and animation for visual effect applied to
individual items on the slide such as graphics, titles or bullet points. There
are two types of animation: Text and graphic animation. Text animation involves
animating text while graphic animation involves animating graphics. Either type
of animation may add interest to the presentation.
Use of PowerPoint Presentation tools in teaching may have the
same or different impact in both male and female students. This brings in the
issue of gender of students in relation to achievement and retention. Unger in
Edebor (2002) defined gender as the psychosocial aspect of maleness and
femaleness. According to Ishiwu (2014) gender can also be said to be the
societal groupings of people into Masculine and feminine. It does not only
refer to women and men but also to the way their qualities, behaviours and
identities are determined .Operationally, gender can be said to be the
culturally determined traits associated with the roles played and grouping of
male and female. Many scholars have researched on the influence of gender on
students’ achievement and retention in science subjects over years and they
came up with diverse findings as shown below.
Badmus (2002) in the findings of his study stated that male achieve and retain
higher than female Supporting this, Manuel (2002) noted that males have more
favourable and comfortable attitude towards computer and internet use than
female students, while Omoniyi (2006) was against this in his findings. Mamah
(1998) found gender as no significant factor in student’s achievement in biology
while Okoye (2012) found out otherwise in biology. Seeing these diverse
findings from above mentioned researches, it is therefore worthwhile to see how
these two modes of PowerPoint presentation would bridge the possible gender gap
on student’s achievement and retention in Basic science, to either support or
refute the debate on influence of gender on achievement and
retention.
Statement of Problem
It has been observed that there have been high rates of earth
disasters and ozone layer depletion these days. This has made the Federal
government of Nigeria to enlarge the curriculum of upper basic education by
including the topics such as: Desertification and depletion of Ozone layer.
These are targeted to address the earth disaster problems. It has also been
noted that most Nigeria teachers use talk-chalk/ traditional method of
teaching, which makes the students passive in learning. This traditional method
keeps the students passive in class, which contradicts the
students-centred-learning-approach recommended by the Federal Ministry of
Education (Federal Government of Nigeria, FRN 2004). Inappropriate method of
teaching invariably leads to poor students’ achievement in an examination.
Experience has also shown that students learn at a high rate through effective
and efficient use of information and communication technologies in teaching and
learning. Teaching the Earth disaster/Ozone layer depletion related topics in
the curriculum effectively may require the use of more effective instructional
delivery method that is ICT based. Therefore, exploring the influence of new
instructional software such as PowerPoint presentation, using the following
modes (text-pictures and text-animation) on students’ achievement and retention
in basic science, is not only desirable but timely. The problem of this study
as a question is: “What is the effect of text-pictures and text-animation mode
of PowerPoint Presentation on Students’ achievement and retention in Basic
Science.
Purpose of Study
The
general purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of PowerPoint
Presentation modes on students’ achievement and retention in Basic Science.
Specifically, the study sought to:
1. Find
the comparative effect of text- picture and text- animation of PowerPoint
Presentation modes on students’ achievement in Basic Science
2. Ascertain
the effect of text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint Presentation modes
on students’ retention in basic science.
3. Determine
the influence of gender on students’ achievement in basic science when taught
using text- picture and text- animation of PowerPoint Presentation modes.
4. Determine
the influence of gender on students’ retention in basic science when taught
using text- picture and text- animation of PowerPoint Presentation modes.
5. Find
out the interaction effect of PowerPoint Presentation modes and gender on
students’ achievement in basic science.
6. Determine
the interaction effect of PowerPoint Presentation modes and gender on students’
retention in basic science.
Significance of the Study
The findings of this study will have both theoretical and practical
significance.
Theoretically, the findings of this study will create an
opportunity for a better and elaborate understanding of Social learning theory,
Cognitive theory of multimedia learning and Theory of learning and instruction.
Social learning theory proposes that people learn by observation and imitation
of events in the environment. This implies that students learnt by observing
and imitating the modes of PowerPoint presentation that will be used in
teaching them while cognitive theory of multimedia learning states that
presentation of words and picture to the learner through multimedia
presentation is better than by words only. This means that learning is more
effective when the sense organs of sight and hearing of learners are captured
in teaching and learning process. Theory of learning and instruction proposes
thathuman being is an information processors, thinkers, creators of idea and
transfers their learning to different problem situation. By implication this is
to say that every learning / instructional environment should be designed to
solve human problems. Inability of students to have credit in BECE and
reduction of the rate of ozone layer depletion are the problems that the modes
of PowerPoint tend to solve.
Therefore, the result of this study will help in
validating and authenticating the tenets of social learning theory and
cognitive theory of Multimedia learning.
This study is also practically significant, because it will be of immense
benefit to students, teachers, parents, ministries of education, curriculum
planners, instructional designers and society among others.
Students may benefit from the findings of this study, by
increasing their interest, participation and as well their academic
achievement. It may also increase the retention of the content learnt and
motivates them to learn some ICT techniques. It may also bridge the possible
gap in Basic science achievement and retention of male and female students
because both sexes will be exposed to both treatments. Also students may learn
the best way to protect their environment and nature through Earth disaster and
Ozone layer depletion content.
The research findings will be of great benefit to the teachers
because it is teachers who instruct, determine the class activities and how to
plan the lesson to be effective and efficient. So, the teacher will benefit by
being exposed to the use of instructional software or different modes of
PowerPoint Presentations that may motivate the students towards high
achievement and retention in basic science.
Parents will also benefit from the findings of this study,
because when the students are taught and there is high achievement and
retention of the content, the information will be passed to the
parents/guardians who will be informed by their wards about the dangers of
ozone layer depletion on human beings.
The findings will be of immense benefit to the Ministries of
education, by exposing them on the importance and advantage of multimedia in
teaching and learning and therefore, this may convince them to procure
computers, and as well equipping them with necessary instructional software for
effective teaching and learning. It can also sensitize them to organise
workshops for teachers to get them informed about current ICT innovative
teaching strategies, and as well train them on how to use them especially the
best mode of PPT as will be indicated from the findings of this study.
Curriculum planners will benefit from the findings of the study
because it is their duty to determine the learning objectives, achievable
knowledge and skills appropriate for each of the content to be taught. If the
use of any of these modes of PowerPoint Presentation is found most valuable,
the curriculum planners will recommend the use of it in schools for effective
teaching and learning.
Instructional designers will benefit from the findings of this
study because it will enlighten them on the importance, effectiveness and
efficiency of use of different modes of PowerPoint presentation software in
designing instructions for Schools. By so doing they may design instruction on
basic science content and other subjects using any of these modes of PowerPoint
Presentation found most valuable.
Lastly, the society will be exposed to the negative
effects of ozone layer depletion on human beings through the students that were
taught with PPT, Teachers, and Parents of students, Instructional designers,
Curriculum planners and Ministries of education. On hearing this, they may
desist from all human activities that could promote ozone layer depletion.
Scope of the Study
The study will be limited to the investigation of the effect of PowerPoint
Presentation modes on students’ achievement and retention in basic science. The
study will be limited to junior secondary schools three (JSS3) students of
co-educational public secondary schools in Nsukka local government of Enugu
state. The unit that will be covered is: Ozone layer
depletion.
Research Questions
The following research questions will guide the study:
1. What
are the effects of text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint presentation
modes on students’ mean achievement scores in Basic science?
2. What
are the effects of text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint presentation
modes on students’ mean retention scores in Basic science?
3. What is
the influence of gender on student’s mean achievement scores in Basic science
when taught using text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint presentation
modes?
4. What is
the influence of gender on student’s mean retention scores in Basic science when
taught using text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint presentation modes?
Research Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance to
guide the study.
HO1: There will be no significant difference in the
mean achievement scores of students in basic science when taught using
text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint Presentation
modes.
HO2: There will be no significant difference in the
mean retention scores of students in basic science when taught using
text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint Presentation modes.
H03: There will be no significant difference in the
mean achievement scores of male and female students in Basic science when
taught using text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint Presentation modes.
H04: There will be no significant difference in
the mean retention scores of male and female students in Basic science when
taught using text-pictures and text-animation of PowerPoint Presentation modes.
H05: There will be no significant interaction effect
of PowerPoint presentation modes and gender on students mean achievement scores
in Basic Science. Ho6; There will be no significant interaction
effect of PowerPoint presentation modes and gender on students mean retention
scores in Basic Science.