Pedagogical Effect of Computer Animated Simulation and Students Academic Performance in Biology Among Secondary School Students in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the pedagogical effect of computer-animated simulation on students' academic performance in Biology among secondary school students in Cross River State, Nigeria. It aimed to achieve two objectives, address two research questions, and test two null hypotheses. A pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent control group design was employed. The study population comprised all Senior Secondary II Biology students, with a sample of 221 students selected from four intact SSII classes in the Ogoja co-educational zone. Data were collected using the Biology Performance Test (BPT), whose validity and reliability were established. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to analyze the research questions, while ANCOVA was applied to test the null hypotheses.  Findings revealed a significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught using computer-animated simulation compared to the traditional lecture method. Specifically, a significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups, F(1, 220) = 14.895, p < 0.05. However, no significant difference was found in mean scores between male and female students across both instructional methods, F(1, 220) = 1.780, p > 0.05. The study concluded that computer-animated simulation is more effective than the lecture method in enhancing students' academic performance. It is recommended that teachers should integrate this instructional strategy to improve students' learning outcomes.