Effect of powerpoint presentations modes on students’ achievement and retention in basic science

Thesis 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.