Abstract
The study examined the Effect learning on computer education students' academic achievement in software development in public university in Enugu State. The design of the study was a quasi-experimental design. The population of the study consisted of all Software development Students in Universities in Enugu State numbering 2,333. The sample size for the study was 120 participants. Random sampling technique was used in sample selection. Software development Achievement Test (SOSAT) was used as data collection instrument. The instrument was duly validated and has reliability coefficient index of 0.88. The study used means and standard deviations to answer the questions posed by the study, while two sample t -test was used to test the null hypotheses at α 0.05 alpha level of significance. The study found that students taught Software development using Blended Learning Approach performed academically better than those taught using Lecture Method in Universities in Enugu State. Some recommendations were proffered which include the need for educational Stakeholders to make provision for effective utilization of blended learning approach in Software development Teacher Education Programme. This will assist in incorporating technology in curriculum delivery process in Enugu State.
Keywords: Academic performance, Blended learning, Instructional approach and Pre-Service Teachers
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background of study
Classroom teachers for a very long time are used to integrating different types of learning activities and resources in classroom, laboratory, practicum, studio contexts among others with the aim of enhancing effective transaction and communication between teacher and learners. The advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has evolved a new version of blended teaching and learning to mean the integration of classroom face-to-face teaching and learning with e-learning. Information technologies have brought about social, political, and economic changes throughout the world. Developments in information technologies have reshaped people’s views towards themselves and their environments, as a result of which a parallel change and development at the same pace has become inevitable in the field of Software development education. This change and development in the field of Software development education is determined by numerous factors. One of the most important among these factors is teachers, which is undoubtedly followed by information technologies. A teacher has a crucial function in managing information technologies and establishing a link between students and information technologies (Oral, 2004). The primary drivers for such innovations in education are; the desire to enhance the learning experience, the desire to enhance quality and the desire to act as a motivator to improve retention and academic performance of students. As a consequence, lecturers are under constant pressure to find ways to stimulate students with the aim to improve their motivation for learning, retention and academic performance in their courses. Historically these innovations have been decided upon in a haphazard manner, often based on anecdotal evidence, prior practice, and even best guess (Danielson, 2008).
The students in 21st century and ICT age are bored of long lectures and dictations, rote memorization and interaction in the classroom because technology is making learning better, more fun and interactive (Piontek, 2013). Students today have become digital natives and are very comfortable with technology long before they enroll in higher education. Technology has transformed how they live, communicate, interact and learn within and outside classes. They are much familiar with electronic learning brought by the advent of technology unlike the lecture teaching method which requires the physical presence of both students and the teacher in the four walls of a classroom setting.
Hadzimehmedagic and Akbarov (2013) stressed that in lecture teaching method the teacher plays the primary role in informing the learners through explicit instructions supplemented by textbooks and demonstrations. The teacher disseminates instructions to a set of students convening in a classroom. Lecture teaching method emphasizes learning through the teacher‟s guidance at all times while students are expected to listen and learn from the lectures. In order to ascertain students‟ achievement or educational outcomes from the series of instructions on topics taught in a subject of study, the teacher at interval administers tests in the class to measure the individual student‟s knowledge and the individual student‟s academic achievement in the subjects of study. Most of the tests are conducted in form of an essay, objective and practical. Lecture teaching method has its merits and demerits to both the teacher and the students. Akpoghol, Samba and Asemave (2013) posited that lecture method is one of the conventional methods of teaching that involves oral presentation of ideas.
Instruction in the classroom is often carried out on a one-to-many basis, with the teacher, before an audience of dozens of students, playing a traditional role which over the years had yielded positive impact.
The positive impact of lecture teaching method to the teachers and students according to Hadzimehmedagic and Akbarov (2013) include the fact that the students receive formal education and learn to focus on the study at hand. The teacher has full control of the direction of the lesson and the quality of the overall teaching and learning process. The method also allows the instructor to determine the aims, content, organization, pace and direction of a presentation. Since the conventional teaching method requires the physical presence of students and the teacher, the teacher monitors the students‟ learning progress and deals with unanticipated students‟ ideas, questions and comments. The advent of ICT had created a vacuum which lecture method could not fill, which have constituted its demerits.
Demerits of lecture teaching method apply to both teachers and students. This teaching method is teacher-centered where the teacher often presents information to students instead of encouraging them to interact, ask questions or make them understand the lesson thoroughly (Hadzimedagic & Akbarov, 2013). Most classes involve rote learning, where students depend on memorization without having a complete understanding of the subject. Long lectures and dictations, rote memorization and little interaction in the classroom often leave students‟ less attentive and less involved. They are prone to skipping classes and missing lesson altogether. Moreover, students in a conventional teaching method class have little opportunity to interact with their classmates or their teacher. To achieve the objective of teaching and learning process, Mbah and Onwuzo (2010), stated that teachers must adopt modern teaching strategies or techniques that will foster effective communication and interaction with students. Students benefit from interactive exercises and they can redo the exercises as many times as they like until they are satisfied with the results. As learners become used to evaluating and selecting materials, they are able to plan out their own use of web-based materials in their own time.
This helps them to become independent learners. Moreover, the use of technology can be time-saving. Creating course materials online for students to access can save the teacher the time and expense of photocopying. According to Rodriguez (2011), the use of social media technology in teaching and learning process has moved discussions and interactions that were once private and situated in the classroom to a more open space where others can contribute. The use of blended learning is the product of the transition of ICT from discussions and interactions that were once private and situated in the classroom.
Ukamaka (2014) in her study defined blended learning as a computer-mediated instructional strategy that leverages technology and focuses on the student-teacher relationship to enhance independence, engagement and achievement. Moreover, in blended learning; blending not only includes technology but real life experiences too. As the word indicates it is a blend of Teacher-Led Instructions by face to face interactive session, Web- Based Assessments through feedback, reflection, outcomes. Computer-Mediated Instruction includes digital, visual, e-learning and printed instructions using traditional study material. It involves a combination of lecture (face-to-face) and online technology-based learning (Wang, 2011). Aslam (2015) illustrated blended learning as the traditional classroom environment on one end of the spectrum and on the other end of the spectrum is the student learning at a computer at home. Poon (2013) was of the opinion that blended learning motivates students to learn on their own at their own pace and in their own time.
Blended learning, in the context of this study, involve combining blog and Google classroom (online) with face-to-face physical co-presence of teacher and students (lecture teaching method) (See Appendix XVII, p. 149). The universal nature and the special features of the blog as a platform for publishing the document online have made blog potential resources to foster an effective environment to support teaching and learning (Quan-Haase, 2008). The blog has over the years constituted one category of online sites that are growing in prominence in the world (Smith, 2013). The blog is an online or web publication of materials or documents. A blogged material becomes automatically an online hosted material or document. The use of the blog had been diversified beyond just being used for marketing purposes, such as advertising and sales, to an instrument for teaching and learning. The platform provides room for interactions and can be accessed at any time possible by the users. It enhances privacy and information security that limits outsider access to the blog site. Most importantly, the blog has features that could support interactive style or communication and collaboration required for effective teaching and learning process (Smith, 2013). In agreement with the above fact, Reinder (2010) posited that learner autonomy has a significant role in successful learning since learning becomes more interesting, meaningful and continuous if learners take responsibility for their own learning as they learn what they are ready to learn. It can also serve as one of the alternative means for shy students to be able to voice their thoughts in and outside the classroom and to also collect their thoughts and articulate them in writing. Therefore, the use of a blog and Google classroom to support lecture method may be a good solution to improving interactive learning, social presence among students, academic achievement and interest.
Academic achievement is a multifaceted construct that comprises different domains of learning and covers a broad variety of educational outcomes. Its definition depends on the indicators used to measure it (Steinmayr, Meibner, Weidinger & Wirthwein, 2015). Academic achievement according to Adeyemi (2008) is the scholastic standing of a student at a given moment. It has to do with the successful accomplishment of goal(s). The purpose of testing an achievement is to help the teacher and the students evaluate and estimate the degree of success attained in learning a given concept. Adeyemi stressed further that it is also useful in testing the retention of information and skill. It is equally appropriate in determining the efficiency of instruction. One of the issues at stake in education today is students‟ achievement measure in relation to teaching and the overall success of learning outcome. Academic achievement represents performance outcomes of the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals. Academic achievement is commonly measured by examination or continuous assessment, but there is no general agreement on how it is best ascertained. Students‟ interest is a strong mechanism that could influence their academic achievement in a subject.
Interest drives one towards action, especially when such action benefits one thereby forming a relationship between a person and an object (Isukpa, 2014). Okoro (2011) stated that one of the strongest factors affecting students‟ interest in sciences (basic science) is the method of instruction adopted by the teacher which highly correlates with their perception of the subject relevant to their future career. It encompasses the positive, pleasant feelings an individual has when trying to study a subject-matter (Magnus, 2008). Interest governs one‟s feeling and attitude towards a particular thing or activity. It implies, therefore, that the degree of interest one has in a subject or activity is determined by the level of value placed on the expected something derivable from the object or activity. If a student shows a higher interest in a course, this would help them to put in more time, effort and energy in learning which will, in turn, lead to higher or better achievement. Ukamaka, (2014) opined that direct interest increases the strength of ego-involvement of the learner and does not allow learners to be distracted by trivial extraneous events in the perceptual environment. Interest in this study simply referred to the mental state of students in relation to teaching and learning of Computer Science education. It is, therefore, necessary that teachers should use teaching methods that ensured active involvement, provide a suitable learning environment in teaching and learning process to improve academic achievement and stimulate the interest of the male and female students.
The high rate of unemployment among school leavers in Nigeria is an indicator that school leavers OTM graduates inclusive are deficient in requisite learning outcomes needed for employment; and moreover, those who eventually are employed are employed for a low paid job without job security. The traditional method of teaching has been criticized by many educational theorists and researchers for its inability to facilitate active learning, thereby, retarding learners‟ interest, engagement and creativity (Reinder, 2010). In order to determined whether blended learning method will yield better academic achievement in Computer Science education and to ascertain gender effects on academic achievement and interest of students necessitated the present study.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The records obtained from some Universities in Enugu Nigeria indicates a decline in students‟ academic achievement in Computer Science.
Moreover, the high rate of unemployment among school leavers in Nigeria is an indicator that school leavers (Computer Science graduates inclusive) are deficient in requisite learning outcomes needed for employment; and similarly, those who eventually employed are employed for a low paid job without job security (See Appendix XIX, p. 154). The continuous poor academic achievement and the high rate of unemployment, have been blamed on many factors among which are inadequacy of needed teaching and learning facilities, loss of students‟ interest in the traditional method of teaching, prevalent use of conventional teaching method in lesson presentations, high level of students‟ distraction due to excessive social activities and the advent of social media platforms that have diverted learners interest from spending quality time on their study to unproductive social interactions.
The traditional method of teaching has been criticized by many educational theorists and researchers for its inability to facilitate active learning, thereby, retarding learners‟ interest, engagement and creativity. It is assumed that if the blog and Google classroom combined with lecture method of instruction delivery, may produce a better learning outcome. However, this assumption has no empirical evidence. Therefore, the problem of this study posed as a question is: what could be the effect of using blended learning method on Computer Science students‟ academic achievement and interest in Universities in Enugu, Nigeria?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to determine the effects of blended learning on Computer Science students‟ academic achievement and interest in Universities in Enugu, Nigeria. Specifically, this study sought to:
1. Determine the pre-test and post-test mean academic achievement scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method.
2. Determine the difference in the mean academic achievement scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method.
3. Determine the differences in the mean academic achievement scores of male and female students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method.
4. Determine the pre-test and post-test mean interest scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method
5. Determine the difference in the mean interest scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method.
6. Determine the differences in the mean interest scores of male and female students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The findings of this study would be of immense benefit to Computer Science students, lecturers, Ministries of Education, Universities, curriculum planners, and future researchers.
Findings of this study will enlighten and create awareness on students on the need to adopt the use of ICT material to boost their academic achievement instead of just making use of it as a social interaction gadget. The students will value the use of their handset beyond just using it for unprofitable adventures such as watching pornographic picture, movies, chatting, etc. The experimental process will expose the students to other possible ways computer and internet facilities can be used to aid and provide their learning outcome. Adopting the method for teaching and learning by lecturers (teachers) is a way in which the benefits of this study will reach the students, especially as it may result to improvement in their academic achievement.
The outcome of this study will expose office technology lecturers to more effective techniques of promoting learning, which will likely help to minimize student‟s low achievement in Computer Science courses. It will make their teaching/learning activities successful. Since blended learning method is interaction-oriented, it will equally enable them to see the need to ensure that their classes integrate blended learning to give room for active participation of students. It will drive office technology lecturers to adjust their teaching method and recognize the need to make teaching and learning convenient for learner outside the classroom setting as a supportive tool for their learning. This will enable the teachers to enjoy teaching as students achieve high performance. The benefits of this study will reach the lecturer through the inclusion of the method in the curriculum and providing facilities by government and training for lecturers to make them knowledgeable in the use of the proposed methods of teaching as it will be recommended by the researcher to the government.
The Ministries of Education through the findings and recommendation of this study be able to organize workshops, seminars and conferences for review of pedagogy in office technology to address the issue of integrating a new method of teaching of Computer Science. It might help them in identifying the concept of learners‟ cognitive style and teachers‟ instructional style in educational programme that could be included in the review of office technology curriculum by NCCE. The findings would be useful to the curriculum planners, to plan office technology curriculum to include the use of blended learning and computer-assisted devices in teaching and learning process. Curriculum planners will find the findings of this study a relevant tool for curriculum reforms and improvement. The benefits will get to the curriculum planners and to the government if a comprehensive documentation of the findings and recommendation is forwarded especially for consideration and implementation by the authorities concerned.
The findings of this study will provide useful information to Universities. The Universities system can enrich their method of teaching office technology courses or develop a new programme of instruction based on the findings of this study. The College management will as a result of the findings of this study mandate lecturers to collectively embrace the use of blended learning in their teaching and learning process.
The finding of this study will be useful for future researchers. The statistical findings of this study will be a yardstick upon which future research can establish empirical facts for carrying out their research. The findings and recommendations will suggest gaps to be fill by future researchers. They could also benefit from this study by accessing the bound copy of the research report in the library or direct contact with the researcher, through manipulation, online, or journal among others and thus be provided with rich source of literature for their studies.
1.5 Scope of the Study
The study focused on the effects of blended learning on Computer Science students‟ academic achievement and interest in Universities in Enugu, Nigeria. The study was delimited to third year Computer Science students‟ in two Universities in Enugu Nigeria. The study is delimited to the third year students because they are already familiar with the system compared to the other levels. Since the study required two intact classes to represent experimental group and control group the study was delimited to two Universities.
The study was delimited to four topics in Computer Science Education (BES 327). Topic one the secretary: training, qualification, personal qualities, business attributes and functions, topic two the Secretary‟s duties: before, during and after meetings and procedures/terms used in meeting, topic three the receptionist: receptionist duties, types of callers, screening callers and handling receiving of visitors and topic four human relations: relationship with boss and colleagues. It was also delimited to the effect of gender on students‟ academic achievement and interest in Computer Science education (BES 327) when taught with blended learning method.
1.6 Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study.
1. What are the pre-test and post-test mean academic achievement scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method?
2. What is the difference in the mean academic achievement scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method?
3. What are the differences in the mean academic achievement scores of male and female students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method?
4. What are the pre-test and post-test mean interest scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method?
5. What is the difference in the mean interest scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method?
6. What are the differences in the mean interest scores of male and female students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method?
1.7 Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance.
1. There is no significant difference between the mean academic achievements scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method.
2. There is no significant difference between the mean academic achievements scores of male and female students taught Computer Science education using blended learning.
3. There is no significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on students‟ mean academic achievement scores in Computer Science education.
4. There is no significant difference between the mean interest scores of students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method and those taught using lecture method.
5. There is no significant difference between the mean interest scores of male and female students taught Computer Science education using blended learning method.
6. There is no significant interaction effect of treatments and gender on students‟ mean interest scores in Computer Science education.
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