Effects of computer based mastery learning approach on secondary school students’ achievement and motivation in biology in Bomet District, Kenya

Abstract

The knowledge of biology is applied in many aspects of human life including genetic engineering, population control,branches of medicine and environmental conservation. It has a significant role to play in enhancing the country’s socio-economic development by enabling exploitation of land, animal and other natural and human resources. Inspite of this, the overall achievement in biology in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) has been poor. Approaches used in the instructional process have been identified as among the factors contributing to the problem of low achievement. In this study an attempt was made to overcome this problem by using Computer BasedMastery Learning (CBML) approach as an intervention to investigate its effects on students’ Achievementand Motivation. A non-equivalent Solomon’s Four Group design (quasi-experimental research design) was used in which four co-educational secondary schools were purposively sampled. The four schools were randomly assigned to four groups. Students in all the groups were taught the same biology content. Teachers of the experimental groups taught using CBML approach while teachers of the control groups taughtusing the conventional methods. The study focused on the topic Respiration andinvolved a sample of 167 Form two studentsin four schools in Bomet District. Two instruments namely Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and Students’ Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ)were used to collect data. The instruments were validated byfiveresearch experts in Science Education and five practising high school biology teachers. Reliability was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. A reliability co-efficient of 0.77was obtainedfor BAT and0.79 for SMQ.Inferential statistics ANOVA, t-test and ANCOVA were used for data analysis. Hypotheses weretested at an alpha level of 0.05. The findingsindicatethat students taught using CBML approach had significantly higher scoresin BAT and SMQ than those taught using conventional approaches.The findings further indicate that there is no gender difference in achievement and motivationwhen CBML is used.It is recommended that CBML teaching strategy be incorporated in teacher education programes.Designers of computer based learning programmes should also be encouraged to include CBML to enhance student learning.