Modeling the Invisible: Effects of a Blender-Designed Interactive 3D DNA Model on Technology-Enhanced Biology Learning in Moroccan Secondary Schools

Abstract Digital visualization tools are increasingly used in science education for concepts that are abstract, microscopic, and spatially complex. This study examines the effect of a Blender-designed interactive three-dimensional DNA model, integrated into the BioStrato web platform, on Moroccan secondary students’ conceptual understanding of DNA structure. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control-group design was conducted with sixty second-year Baccalaureate students majoring in Life and Earth Sciences, assigned to conditions at the intact-class level. The experimental group of thirty students learned DNA structure through a teacher-guided lesson supported by the interactive model, while the control group of thirty students received conventional instruction using teacher explanation and static two-dimensional diagrams. Learning outcomes were measured with a twenty-item achievement test, and experimental-group perceptions were explored through a post-intervention questionnaire and structured classroom observation. The two groups did not differ at pre-test. Both groups improved after instruction, but the experimental group achieved a higher mean learning gain than the control group. An analysis of covariance on post-test scores, controlling for pre-test scores, confirmed a significant group effect with a medium effect size. Questionnaire responses and classroom observations indicated that students perceived the model as clear, motivating, and useful for visualizing molecular structure. The findings suggest that accessible open-source three-dimensional modeling tools, when integrated into a structured teaching sequence, can enhance technology-supported biology learning in resource-constrained secondary-school contexts. Keywords Technology-enhanced learning; 3D modeling; Blender; interactive visualization; biology education; DNA structure; secondary education; Morocco