Assessing Effectiveness of Animated Instructional Media on Academic Performance and Retention of Genetics Concepts

The present study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of animated instructional media on academic performance and retention of genetic concepts among senior secondary school on biology students in Sokoto State. Adopted through Quasi Experimental design involving pre-test, post-test and post-posttest on two equivalent groups as experimental and control, the population on the study was 10148 SS III Biology students. In this regard, four intact classes were chosen with sample size of 238 SSIII students. Genetic Concept Performance and Retention Test (GCPRT) was the instrument used for data collection. Animated Instruction Media was used as instructional material to teach the experimental group while demonstration method was used to teach the control group. Independent sample t-test was used to test the four (4) hypotheses formulated in the study. The esults obtained in this line of research revealed that there was a significant difference in the academic performance and retention ability between students taught using Animated Instructional Material and those taught using demonstration method. It was therefore recommended for other senior secondary school teachers to harness the considerable benefits of technology, particularly animations, in teaching genetics and other related concepts.


INTRODUCTION
There is persistently poor performance in science subjects in secondary school certificate examination, and this leads to the assumption that most science teachers in Nigerian secondary schools do not make use of the varied forms of teaching method with innovations in teaching and learning of science. Whereas the world is now becoming dynamic in terms of technological development, an instructional system supported by technology will be meaningful for teaching and learning of science.
Genetics is one of the topics under the theme continuity of life taught in biology at Senior Secondary School level in Nigerian schools. It is the study of genes, genetic variation and heredity in living organisms. It attempts to explain the mechanism and basis for both similarities and differences between related individuals and also explain the phenomenon of evolution and cytodifferentiations (Aggarwal, 2008). Genetics gives the basis for which characteristics are or traits are transferred from parents to offspring and from generation to generation. Like other sciences, the study of genetics has produced an insight to new challenges as well as solution to human problems Educational system in Nigeria has undergone series of changes for the purpose of development among which are changes in theory and practice of education demanding the use of technology (Imhanyehor, 2021;Anyika et al., 2021;Usman & Chinyere, 2021). According to Bello (2014), recent advances in pedagogy, organization and presentation using technologies have changed the structure of educational systems of the society. A way to which an educational system can use these is the integration of technology in the teaching strategies or methods which are numerous ranging from the traditional to modern methods of teaching. Science educators have used different methods of teaching such as the lecture method, problem solving method, guided discovery, laboratory method, field trip, simulation, games, computer animations, concept mapping among others. However, there are marked differences in some respect among these methods.
Therefore, there is need to look into science teaching methods to enhance students' performance. Morakinyo in Bello (2014) has attributed the fallen level of academic performance to teachers' non-use of verbal reinforcement and visual materials in strategies in the course of instruction.
There is persistent poor performance in science subjects in secondary school certificate examination leading to the assumption that most science teachers in Nigeria secondary schools do not make use of the varied forms of teaching method in teaching and learning of science (Bello, 2014) as evidence by record of performance from WAEC chief examiners' report. The ineffectiveness of these strategies in teaching science is one of the major contribution to the performance of students hence the need to reconsider innovative and new methods of instruction in science.
An instructional system supported by technology will be meaningful for learning in the 21 st century like the use of computer technologies in teaching and learning such as computer aided learning, computer-based training, computer assisted instruction, interactive computer video disc, multimedia, Animated Instructional Material etc (Rajaram, 2021;Hamutoglu et al., 2021).
Animated Instructional Material is a form of animated instructional method that involves the use of computer animation, graphics and cartoons in classroom instruction (Salisu, 2015;Antó et al., 2021;Yulianti et al., 2021;Abu Bakar et al., 2021;Williams, 2020). It involves the use of drawings, cartoons and other graphical materials to create motion pictures. Thomas and Israel (2014), sees animation teaching as a device that has the features of both audio and visual presentations that are used in teaching and learning process for effective dissemination of knowledge (Kim et al., 2021;Карпова et al., 2020;Yan, 2021).
The use of animation helps in teaching and learning, the retention of the knowledge is also important and put into account because it is only when the concepts learned are stored and recalled thereafter that the performance can improve (Yan, 2021;Krishnan, 2021).
Retention is the ability to store what has been learned by an individual and able to recall what has been stored thereafter. Retention plays a vital role in what the teacher does, it determines the time teachers spend in reviewing lesson from the days or week. According to Bichi (2002) retention is ability to retain and later remember information or knowledge gained after learning in to memory.
A number of studies were reviewed based on the influence of animation in teaching and learning. Scholars (Versky, Morrison & Bétrancourt, 2002;Stith, 2004& Barak, Ashkar, & Dori, 2010 narrate that when a capable and enthusiastic teacher presents animation systematically, it provides a valuable way to communicate dynamic and complex sequences of events more effectively to students. Animation method as an important tool for science education was further supported by studies (for example, Hoffler & Leutner 2007;Tayo, 2012;Thomas & Israel, 2014), who proves that animated images transform abstract idea into concrete images, thus improving the students' performance, understanding, and attention.
In the study of Gambari, Yaki, Gana & Ughovwa (2014) which examined the effects of video-based multimedia instruction on secondary school students' performance and retention in biology in Nigeria. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference among the experimental groups. Generally, students under multimedia instruction performed better than their colleagues in the conventional teaching method. However, students in conventional teaching method had better retention than other groups. Ayodele (2009) investigated the effect of computer assisted instruction (CAI) and gender as they predict student academic performance in biology concepts. Findings revealed that majority of boys performed better when they use computer assisted instruction than the girls in school.
As well, Bello (2014) investigated the effect of computer aided instructional package (CAIPAG) on performance, attitude and retention of genetic concepts among secondary school students in Niger state. The result indicated that students who received instruction with CAIPAG outperformed those students who received instruction with CLM and higher retention and positive attitude. The findings also revealed that there is no significant difference in performance, attitude and retention between male and female students. It was recommended that teachers should use computer as instructional package in order to improve students' performance, attitude and retention.
One of the main problems facing Nigeria Secondary Schools is relative decline in academic performance of students especially in Sciences (Enohuen, 2015). Secondary Schools in Sokoto state were no exception. There was also a similar concern expressed on student performance and retention in genetic concepts in Sokoto Metropolis. This was evidenced by a report from WAEC Chief Examiner from 2012 to 2019. The report indicates that many students from Sokoto Metropolis failed to answer questions on genetics, and those who attempted the questions relatively performed poorly, this is as a result of not retaining the concept of genetics taught earlier. The main purpose of this research would be to assess the effect of Animated Instructional media on academic performance and retention of genetic concepts. In a more specific term, the research answered the following questions. What is the difference in academic performance of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Media (AIM) and those taught with Demonstration Method? And what is the effect of AIM on the retention of learned concepts in genetics?

METHODOLOGY
The present study adopted Quasi Experimental research design which involves pre-test, post-test and post-posttest on two equivalent groups designated as experimental and control (Antó et al., 2021;Gopalan et al., 2020). This design is suitable for adoption to approximate conditions of true experiment in situations that do not permit the control and manipulation of all relevant variables (Kpolovie 2010). The design is illustrated below: The population of the study comprises of all SSIII students in Public Senior Secondary Schools offering Biology spread across Sokoto State. There are 10148, SS III Biology students in Senior Secondary Schools in Sokoto State. The choice of using this population was justified by the fact that, they have undergone longer years of secondary school education than those below them. Likewise, genetics concepts are taught from SSI -SSIII so the choice of SSIII was to assess whether the genetics concept taught along these years (SSI-SSII) was retained by the student up to the third year of their senior secondary school. The population include both male and female students of age-range 15-21 years and covers all major tribes in Nigeria.
Four schools were selected from three local government in Sokoto State using stratified sampling to determine the sample size for the study consisting of 1504 students. To determine the sample size for the study, four intact classes was used one from each school. The four classes were grouped into two classes for experimental group and the other two for control group. These intact classes were used on the assumption that random selection of students would distort the school timetable.
The research instrument used for the study were Genetic Concept Performance & Retention Test (GCPRT) was validated by science education specialist in Sokoto State University and a Biology teacher in Sultan Bello Secondary School, who is marking Biology in both WAEC and NECO. They examined the items on the instrument and made necessary corrections. The reliability of the instrument GCPRT which contain 20 questions was administered to an intact class containing 20 Biology students from Government Day Secondary School, Mabera, Sokoto, for pilot test in order to determine the reliability of the instrument.
Given an interval of 4 weeks after the instrument was first administered, the instrument was re-administered to the same group of students. The results of the tests were subjected to Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient analysis, which yielded a coefficient of 0.81. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used in analyzing the data. The descriptive statistical tools to be used include Frequency Count and Percentages in describing the demographic data of the, while mean and standard deviation will be used in answering the research question by describing mathematical expectation or average and dispersion of the data. Inferential statistic i.e. independent T-test will be used in testing the null hypotheses.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION
This section addressed the research questions and hypotheses earlier raised in the study.

Difference in academic performance of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Media (AIM) and those taught with Demonstration Method
Post test data of the experimental and control groups were subjected to descriptive statistics. Mean and standard deviation were computed and used to draw Table 1.  Table 1 showed the difference in academic performance of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Media (AIM) and those taught with Demonstration Method (DM). Inspection of the mean scores indicates that participants taught with Animated Instructional Material had a mean score of 54.77 ± 9.83 compared with mean score of 39.73 ± 9.97 from participants taught with DM. This suggested the fact that Animated Instructional Media is important for improving student academic success in genetics than conventional demonstration method, even though scores of the two groups deviated with the same magnitude.

Effect of AIM on the retention of learned concepts in genetics
Post-post test data of the experimental and control groups were subjected to descriptive statistics, mean and standard deviation were computed and used to draw Table 2.  Table 5 showed the difference in retention of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Media (AIM) and those taught with Demonstration Method (DM). Inspection of the mean scores indicated that participants taught with Animated Instructional Material had a mean retention score of 51.41 ± 8.80 against the retention score of 29.43 ± 8.65 from participants taught with demonstration method. This huge difference in retention scores between the two groups suggested the fact that Animated Instructional Media is important for improving student retention of genetics concepts than conventional demonstration method.

Testing the Null hypotheses
This section tested the research hypotheses predicted earlier in the study.
H 0 1: There is no significant difference in academic performance of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Media (AIM) and those taught using demonstration method (DM).
To test H 01 , post test data of the experimental and control groups were subjected to t-test statistics. t-and p values were computed and used to draw Table 3.  Table 3 showed significant difference in academic performance of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Media and those taught using demonstration method. Results presented in the table indicated that there was a statistical significant difference in academic performance of students taught genetics concepts using and those taught using demonstration method (t = 11.77; p-value = 0.00). Based on this result, the research hypothesis was therefore rejected, implying that students taught with Animated Instructional Material differ significantly in performance scores from those taught using conventional demonstration method. H 0 2: There is no significant difference in retention of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Material (AIM) and those taught using demonstration method (DM).
To test H 02, post -post test data between experimental and control groups were subjected to t-test statistics. t and p-values were computed and used to draw Table 4.  Table 4 showed significant difference in retention ability of students taught genetics concepts using Animated Instructional Material and those taught using demonstration method. Results presented in the table indicated that there was a statistical significant difference in retention ability of students taught genetics concepts and those taught using demonstration method (t = 19.47; p-value = 0.00). Based on this result, the research hypothesis was therefore rejected, implying that students taught with Animated Instructional Material differ significantly in their retention ability from those taught using conventional demonstration method.

Discussion
This study assessed the effectiveness of Animated Instructional Material on academic performance and retention of genetics concepts among senior secondary school students in Sokoto metropolis. Finding of this study indicated that students taught using animations performed better in genetics than their counterparts taught with a conventional strategy. The submission was based on the fact that most animations have sensory appeal, and as such, could be used to meet diverse learning needs of students. By using animations, some abstract genetics concepts could be demonstrated in a manner that reduces abstract imagination of students. In addition to motivational elements of computer technologies, animated media ignites students' brain, captures and sustains students' attention, and increases their chances of engagement in classroom activities. The significance of Animated Instructional Material is supported by Aremu and Abiodun (2010) whose comparison between animation and demonstration method showed that computer animation was effective in improving students' academic performance than demonstration method. Contrary to this, a study on effects of video-based multimedia instruction on academic performance by Gambari, Yaki, Gana and Ughovwa (2014) showed no significant difference between students taught using multimedia instruction and those taught with conventional lecture method.
Secondly, the finding revealed a difference in the retention ability of students taught using Animated Instructional Material and those taught using conventional demonstration method. This suggested the fact that animated packages are significant for students in retaining genetics concepts than conventional demonstration method. Although intelligent quotient play important role on student retention ability, however, when students learn through animation, what they learn previously tends stay longer in their long term memory and tends to reflect in their brain recursively. They stand a chance of retrieving information from their schema in quicker fashion than it would be when they were taught using conventional methods. This is due to the fact that computer technology itself has the potential of improving student retention capability by exposing learners to visual and auditory reality. In support of this view, study conducted by O'Day (2007) on effect of computer animation on students' attitude and retention indicated that students prefer | 123 having animations because it leads to long-term memory retention than simple graphics. However, study by Gambari, Yaki, Gana and Ughovwa (2014) affirmed that students taught by conventional teaching method had better retention than other groups. This finding could be limited by inability to enforce intervention fidelity by the authors.

CONCLUSION
Based on results obtained in this line of research, it is therefore argued that teaching is a complex activity that requires sound results. However, these results predominantly depend on effective approach and strategy. Such obvious premise is to say that what was learned depends on how it was taught and the associated tools. The current research disclosed that Animated Instructional Material was significant for students in terms of performance and retention of genetics concepts. Based on such obvious result, the study concludes that Animated Instructional Material was especially important for improving student educational success in an inclusive setting. The research suggests that in order to improve the students' academic performance, secondary school teachers should harness the potential benefits of technology, particularly animations, in teaching genetics and other related concepts in biology. The government should provide animated media to secondary schools across the state, to be used as instructional material in teaching and learning bincepts, as this would enhance the retention ability of students. Biology teachers should not be gender bias in the use of animations while teaching. Biology teachers should not use animations in preference to a particular gender group over another. This can be conducted by providing inclusiveness during adoption and utilization of Animated Instructional Material. Governmental and Non-governmental agencies can also assist by creating awareness to the general public on the use and effectiveness of Animated Instructional Material in teaching genetic concepts in biology. Such awareness could be created by organizing workshops, seminars, conferences periodically and in-service training of Biology teachers. However, such awareness should be gender sensitive.