Effects of computer simulation on students performance and retention in kinetic theory of gas and Gas laws

Abstract Students' poor performance in both internal and external examinations has long been a source of concern for educators and other stakeholders. This poor performance has been linked to teachers' teaching quality and instructional strategies used. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of computer simulation on students' performance and retention in the kinetic theory of gas and gas laws in Ilorin, Kwara State. The study was a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, non-randomized 2×2×2 factorial design. A total of 40 students from two randomly selected senior secondary schools were involved, including 17 students in the experimental group and 23 in the control group. The research instruments were a Physics Education Technology (PhET) simulation developed by the University of Colorado Boulder, a Physics Performance Test (PPT), and a Physics Retention Test (PRT). The reliability of both PPT and PRT was tested using KR-21 with indices values of 0.855 and 0.769, respectively. The research utilized the 5E Instructional model to implement the computer simulation. The research findings revealed that the experimental group had better performance and retention than the control group in the kinetic theory of gas and Gas laws. Also, there was no significant difference in the performance of students taught the kinetic theory of gas and gas laws (t=1.96, p=0.761, p>0.05). Also, although the experimental group's female students outperformed the male students, there was no significant difference in the students' performance in terms of gender (f=2.82, p=0.115, p>0.05). The study recommends that science teachers integrate cutting-hedge simulation into their instructional modes, especially when teaching physics. Also, there should be training for both pre-service and in-service science teachers on development and how to access appropriate computer simulations for their lessons.