EFFECT OF BLENDED LEARNING IN POST COVID 19 ERA ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study was carried out to find the effect of Blended learning in post Covid 19 era on the academic achievement of Biology Secondary School Students in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to see how we can augment normal classroom lessons with some internet or online based learning environment to achieve the same goals. Three (3) research questions and one (1) hypotheses were raised, answered and tested at 0.05 level of significance using ANCOVA. A quasi-experimental design was carried out using pre-test post-test control groups to compare students’ achievement. Population of the study comprised all SS2 students. A sample size of 170 students from two selected schools using purposive sampling technique. Among the two schools selected, one was used as the control group and the other the experimental group. The instruments Biology Performance Test (BFT) was validated. A reliability coefficient of r=0.95 was calculated using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Formula for the BFT, Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses. The result shows that there is an increase in the achievement of students who were engaged in Blended learning, and that it helped students to have unlimited access to different educational contents, thereby enhancing their digital literacy, promote critical thinking and encourages constructivist learning. It was recommended that educators should blend their teaching of curriculum contents, using digital tools such as YouTube.