EFFECT OF GOOGLE SITES ON SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT AMONG YEAR FIVE STUDENTS

Abstract

Research has shown that students’ science achievement has declined because of outdated pedagogies and a lack of innovation in teaching and learning. The penetration of digital technologies into teaching could help improve this situation. This study aimed to see the effect of Google Sites on Year 5 students’ science achievement. A quasi-experimental research design was used. The experimental group consisted of 35 students exposed to Google Sites, leading to more flexible and interactive learning. The students were exposed to various teaching materials such as videos and online notes and were more actively interacting with peers and teacher. In the control group, 31 students were exposed to the conventional teaching method. The pre/post-test encompassed higher-order thinking questions on the science topic – States of Matter was the main data source. The data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) with pre-test as covariate. The findings revealed a statistical difference in the mean score of students’ achievements between the control and experimental group: F (1,65) = 31.37, p < .001. The experimental group achieved better scores and gave better quality answers. The study implies that teachers could use free and user-friendly technological tools to improve the quality of their teaching. However, support and space for teachers to engage and get familiarised with these tools must be made available.