Gauging the Effect of a Digital Tool on Students Learning Performance and Motivation in a Science Classroom

Abstract

Science and technology have shaped the world into a small, interconnected village. Indicators of economic growth and prosperity now frequently include science and technology. The world's nations compete to be the best in this field. In order to enter a period of economic growth and prosperity for Pakistan, which is still developing, the nation must make advances in science and technology. Revolutionary improvements and changes must be made to science education at all levels in order for science and technology to advance. Therefore, incorporating digital learning into science instruction is one of the desired changes. There are numerous internal and external factors that hinder educational institutions from teaching subjects that are based on science and technology. In addition to a lack of institutions, another significant factor holding back public and private sector efforts to implement technology in education and for learning science is a lack of student motivation for such education. The purpose of this study is to explore the digital tool effectiveness in enhancing learning performance and students’ motivation toward science of grade 8. The research took place in one of the public school of Sialkot, Pakistan. The nature of the study is quasi-experimental design where the experimental group (n=45) was taught using the digital tool whereas the control group (n=45) used the traditional method for learning science. The study consisted of 90 participants. The data was collected by employing quantitative method which included pretest and posttest of science to measure the learning performance of students, Students motivation towards science learning instrument for measuring the science motivation of learners and perception survey for learner’s perception towards using the digital tool. The scores of students in both groups were compared to find the impact of each instructional method. Findings from the pre-post-test supported that the students learning performance increased by learning through the integration of the digital tool. Additionally, students motivation towards science learning was enhanced by using technology in learning where a significant difference was shown in active learning strategies. Students had positive perceptions towards using Edmodo for learning.