The COVID-19 Pandemic: Web 2.0 Tools as an Alternative Instruction for Science in Secondary Schools

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic had caused an unprecedented impact on teachers and students in their teaching and learning process. Diverse teaching and learning tools are essential to ensure that education continues. This confinement provides an opportunity to enculture a new norm for learning among Malaysian students and teachers. Usage of web 2.0 tools has indirectly encouraged students to study on their own and communicate dynamically with peers and teachers during online lessons. A mixed-method quasi-experimental study involving pre-test and post-test was conducted to investigate the impact of using web 2.0 tools on students’ achievement. 60 Form Two students were divided into control and experimental groups where the experimental group had lessons using The Product, Process, Person, and Press model of creative approach with web 2.0 tools while the control group was taught using the teacher-centered instruction. The creative approach using web 2.0 tools has not only produced advancement in students’ achievement in the science subject but has also motivated them to complete the assessments given during online lessons. The findings also emanated that students’ motivation to learn science through online learning was due to the usage of 2.0 tools. Hence, science teachers ought to be better prepared with the skills as well as better-designed learning modules and experiences to incorporate integrated online learning and face-to-face class with a blended learning approach seamlessly.