Effects of interactive multimedia-based science instruction on students’ academic achievement, attitudes, and self-concept of rural secondary school students in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Despite ongoing efforts to improve science education, Biology achievement in many rural Nigerian secondary schools remains low, partly due to limited integration of technology-enhanced instructional approaches. Aim: This study examined the effects of interactive multimedia-based Biology instruction on students’ academic achievement, attitudes, and self-concept in rural secondary schools. Method: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest non-equivalent control group design was employed. Seventy-one Senior Secondary School I students from two purposively selected public secondary schools in Oye Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria, participated in the study. The experimental group received interactive multimedia-supported instruction incorporating animations, simulations, and visual presentations, while the control group received conventional instruction for six weeks. Data were collected using validated achievement, attitude, and self-concept instruments and analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANCOVA. Results: The findings revealed that students exposed to interactive multimedia instruction achieved significantly higher academic performance, more positive attitudes toward Biology, and stronger self-concept than students taught through conventional methods (p < .001). Conclusion: Interactive multimedia-based instruction effectively enhanced both cognitive and affective learning outcomes among rural secondary school students. The study highlights the potential of animation- and simulation-supported teaching to improve science learning in resource-constrained settings and recommends increased investment in digital instructional resources and teacher professional development.