EFFECT OF SIMULATED CHEMISTRY PRACTICALS ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

<p><em>The study was conducted to compare the performance of students working in chemistry laboratory with those working in chemistry laboratory supplemented with simulations at secondary school level. The focus of the study was to find out the effectiveness of laboratory work supplemented with simulation on the performance of students. The study was experimental in nature and posttest only control group design was used. Qualitative data is collected by means of interview of chemistry teachers. Quantitative data was also collected and analyzed. The sample comprised of 118 (60 males and 58 female) students and (02) Chemistry teachers of class IX of Public schools of Peshawar. The control group worked in the Chemistry laboratory under normal condition whereas experimental group performed practicals with the help of simulated software. At the end of the treatment practical examination was conducted on the pattern of Peshawar Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (PBISE). The scores of both control and experimental groups were compared in three main areas i.e. written, viva voce and notebook. For the sake of comparison of control group and experimental group independent sample t-test was used. The result of t-test indicates that there is a significant difference between the performance of control and experimental groups with large effect size. The qualitative data was collected by means of interview which indicated that both the interviewees were motivated and showed keen interest in the simulated software. Both the respondents confirmed that the use of simulated software results in better understanding of concepts in students but at the same time both interviewees reported that it seems difficult to apply the simulated software in our system of Education. The performance of the students of experimental groups showed improvement, results in the rejection of hypotheses that there is no significant difference between the performance of students taught by conventional demonstration in laboratory and laboratory work facilitated with simulation. If proper physical facilities were available simulated software is the solutions of many problems faced by students and teachers in Chemistry laboratories. </em></p>