VIRTUAL LABORATORY INTEGRATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON ELECTROCHEMISTRY LEARNING IN ETHIOPIAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

This study, the Impact of Virtual Laboratory Integration on Electrochemistry was carried out in Enessie secondary school, East Gojjam, Ethiopia. The subjects 97 grade 10 students were taught the basics of electrochemistry. They were randomly assigned to a control group (47) and an experimental group (50). The experimental group received computer-animated teaching whereas the control group was taught using traditional lecture method on the same topics. The questionnaire analysis indicates that students in the Control group believed that the traditional lecture method with emphasis on explaining simple facts as the most important aspect to enhance their understanding of electrochemistry concept. Students in the experimental group clearly preferred instruction supported by virtual laboratories. The achievement test instrument was administered as a pre-test and post-test. The overall post-test analyses of the results showed that t(95) = -5.128, and the sig. value is 0.00001. Sig. value is < 0.05, it can be concluded that there is statistically significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental group and the control group. The result revealed that computer simulation was more effective in enhancing students’ achievement in electrochemistry than normal teaching method; minimizing learner’s misconceptions, enhances the conceptual understanding of students, makes teaching and learning environment more visual than conceptual so that student can better relate, provide students active thinkers instead of passive observers.