EFFECTS OF WHATSAPP LEARNING PLATFORM ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BIOLOGY EDUCATION UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
This study examined the effects of whatsapp learning platform on academic performance of Biology education University undergraduates in Ekiti State. The population consisted of 1,219 undergraduates studying Biology Education in the two public University in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study sample consisted of 200 undergraduate students at the 200 level with purposive sampling technique. One research instrument tagged Biology Performance Test (BPT) was used to collect data on performance of undergraduates in biology. It consisted of 30 single-answer questions drawn from the course outline for Introductory Developmental and Cell Biology (BIO 205). The instrument comprised two sections: Section A captured the personal data of the respondents, while Section B consisted of 30 items. Correct option attracted 1mark and wrong option attracted zero mark. The validity of the instruments was ensured through expert review which was subjected to face and content validity checks. The reliability of the instrument was determined through pilot testing. It was administered to a group of students with similar characteristics to the study sample, but who were not part of the main study. The test- retest method was used to establish its stability over time, and a reliability coefficient of 0.82 was obtained, confirming its consistency in measuring students' performance in biology. The data collected analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The research question was answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Hypotheses 1-2 were tested using t-test analysis. The two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant. The finding showed that there was no difference in the performance of students in the two groups before the treatment which means that both groups were homogeneous. The findings of this study also showed that undergraduates taught using the WhatsApp Learning Platform performed significantly better in Biology than those taught using the Conventional Method in Biology. It was therefore recommended Lecturers should consider incorporating the WhatsApp Learning Platform as a supplementary tool in teaching Biology to enhance student engagement and performance. Universities should provide training for lecturers on the effective use of digital platforms like WhatsApp to improve instructional delivery and students’ performance.
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