EFFECT OF COMPUTER SIMULATED EXPERIMENTS USING 3D INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL LABORATORY ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY IN IJEBU-ODE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effect of computer simulated experiments using 3D Interactive Virtual Laboratory of students’ academic achievement in Chemistry in Ijebu-Ode LGA, Ogun State. The study employed a non-randomized control-group pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design involving two Senior Secondary One Chemistry classes; one as an experimental (52) and the other as a control group (53).  An Achievement test (Chemistry Achievement Test) consisting of 30 multiple-choice question, a 3D virtual laboratory software and Teachers Instruction Guide were the instruments used in this study. The achievement test instrument was administered as a pre-test and post-test to answer the purpose of the study. The 3D laboratory software serves as the stimulus for the intervention, while the TIG serves as an instructional guide. The experimental group received computer-assisted teaching and the control group was taught using traditional teaching method (lecture) on the same topics. The intervention took two and a half weeks for each of the schools involved in the study. Analyses of scores of the two groups in post-test were compared using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) independent t-test version 16.0.  The results showed that t = 0.831, df = 103, p = 0.048 and the Sig. (2-tailed) value is 0.641. Since sig. (2-tailed) value is greater than 0.05. There was a significant effect of treatment of students’ academic achievement in chemistry (F(2, 228)=3.078, P<0.05). The effect of treatment on academic achievement and gender is significant (F(1.228)=273.495, p<0.05) that is students attitude towards computer simulation was improved. This means level of treatment has effect on students’ academic achievement in chemistry, it can be concluded that there is statistical significant difference between the experimental group and the control group.