Improved Academic Performance: Utilizing Innovative Instructional Multimedia Devices Among Biology Education Students in University System in South-West, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of the handheld devices allowing innovative multimedia interaction in the course of lecture delivery on the academic performance of the Biology Education students in University System in South West, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design and the population of the study comprised all undergraduate students in South West, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used to select sample from University of Ibadan (Sandwish degree programme in Unilesa) and Osun State University for the quasi-experimental group and control respectively. Two treatment packages tagged Innovative Instructional Multimedia Handheld Method (IIMHM) and Conventional Lecture Method (CLM); and a Biology Education Achievement Test (BEAT) with (r = 0.80) determined using Kuder Richardons (KR=20) were utilized in the study. Data were analysed using T-test at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that there was a significant difference between the academic performance of students taught with innovative instructional multimedia method and those taught with conventional lecture method group (t = 2.091, N = 300, p < 0.05). The academic performance of the female students taught with innovative instructional multimedia handheld method was slightly higher with mean score of 34.45 whereas male students have a mean score of 32.38 with (t = 1.045, N = 120, p < 0.05). Based on the findings, utilizing multimedia handheld devices was considered better than Conventional Traditional Lecturing Method. Hence, it was recommended that lecturers should inculcate the use of instructional multimedia handheld devices in the course of lecture delivery.