The interactive classroom: Integration of SMART notebook software in chemistry education

Abstract

The integration of SMART notebook software was one of the modifications to the teaching and learning environment since the post-coronavirus. Despite the extent of literature about the importance of this software to teaching and learning, there have been conflicting views and an overall lack of intervention in the Gambia regarding its importance in chemistry teaching and learning. Nevertheless, studies conducted about the impact of this software in the Gambia traditionally focused on evaluating regional examination results, where conceptual understanding of qualitative determination and quantitative study of acid-base reactions in the secondary school curriculum are continuous challenging for students. Further, these bodies of evaluation could not present support for the software on chemistry teaching, moreover, on the three domains namely recall, knowledge and application. On this basis, the purpose of the study was to investigate how interactive classrooms could support students’ learning the topics. Through quasi-experimental design and systematic random sampling technique, 314 students were selected and split into two independent groups, the treatment, and the control. The treatment group were taught using interactive learning objects in SMART notebook in conjunction with laboratory experimentation, while the control group mainly conventional teaching methods, including laboratory experimentations. After 24 days of parallel interventions, a non-parametric (Mann-Whitney U test mean rank) statistical test was conducted at a .05 level of significance. The results revealed that students in the treatment group had better knowledge retention and application than their peers in the control group as indicated by a significant difference (p=.001). These results align with the experimental literature and were particularly effective for developing alternate strategies for educating secondary students in chemistry class.