The Impact of a Mobile Application (Dr. Electron) on Science Attitudes and Self-Efficacy among Eighth-Grade Students

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an enrichment mobile application based on the gamification approach (Dr. Electron) on the attitudes towards science and self-efficacy of eighth-grade students in the Sultanate of Oman amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A quasi-experimental design was employed, utilizing both pre-test and post-test control group designs. The study sample comprised 63 students, with 33 assigned to the experimental group and 30 to the control group. The study used Measurement instruments including a science attitude scale with a reliability coefficient of 0.86 and a self-efficacy scale with a reliability coefficient of 0.93. Results indicated statistically significant differences in the post-test application between the control and experimental groups, favoring the teaching method employed for the experimental group in both the science attitude and self-efficacy scales. The study found no statistically significant interaction effect between the teaching method and gender in the post-test application of the science attitude scale. However, a slight interaction was observed between the teaching method and gender in the self-efficacy scale. The study recommends that science educators emphasize the importance of designing and implementing enrichment applications based on gamification principles to foster positive attitudes towards science and enhance students' self-efficacy. Keywords: Gamification Approach, Attitudes towards Science, Self-efficacy, COVID-19 Pandemic, Digital enrichment, Mobile application, (Dr. Electron