Effectiveness of Multimedia Approach for Teaching-Learning of Physical Science at Secondary Level in Rural Areas

Abstract

The focus of the study examined the effect of Interactive Multimedia Approach on student achievement in general science as compared to traditional method of instruction. An experiment was conducted with 9lh class students of session 2017 studying Physical Science at Harijhama high School in rural area under West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) Multimedia program for the experiment was developed by the researcher using interactive multimedia mode of presentation covering two chapters from the textbook of Physical Science for secondary classes. Each mode comprises a text segment in Physical Science followed by multiple choice questions and immediate feedback.

Secondary school students studying science subjects constituted the population of the study. The students of 9th class of Harijhama High School, Harijhama, Purba Medinipur, were selected as sample of the study. Only students studying Physical Science as science subject were included in the sample. Sample students were assigned to two group’s i.e. experimental group and control group. Both the groups were equated on the basis of their achievement scores in previous examination in the subject of Physical Science. Each group comprised 20 students. There were two different treatment patterns applied during the experiment. Both the groups were taught through routine method by the same teacher. The multimedia approach was used as additional strategy for the experimental group. During the experiment period, the experimental group received the treatment of independent variable, i.e. multimedia approach whereby the experimental group was exposed to certain web-cites consisting of multimedia. In the mean while he control group was kept busy in other activities such as guided practice and independent practice. This was adopted to control the variable of time and to realize the primary objective of the study. The experiment continued for six weeks.

In order to find out treatment effects, a teacher-made post-test was administered to the experimental as well as control group immediately after the treatment (teaching) was over. The purpose of this test was to measure the achievement of the students constituting the sample of the study. Final data were collected from 40 students, 20 from each group from each school.To evaluate the multimedia program in terms of students' opinion was administered to the experimental group students. Null hypotheses were tested by analyzing the data on achievement test. Paired t-test was applied to determine the significance of difference between the mean achievement scores of the experimental and the control groups.

The results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in all the achievement areas i.e. overall, by levels of cognitive domain and by type of content. Achievement scores by the intellectual capacity groups of the experimental group were generally in accordance with their intellectual capacity, grade. Students liked the multimedia program and benefited for it. They found it better mode of instruction than the traditional method. Efforts are being made on the part of the government to expand computer facilities in schools. Expansion in computer literacy, a computer education and computer facilities warrants the need of interactive multimedia.