International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR) Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2015

Effectiveness of Self Learning Modules on

Achievement in Biology Among Secondary School Students

Dr. Padmapriya P.V.[1]

Abstract:
Educational technology implies the use of all modern media,methods,materials,practices,theories and principles for
maximizing the learning outcomes.It facilitate learning by control of environment, media,and method. Russell (1974)defines
module as a short unit of instruction dealing with a conceptual unit subject matter . the paucity of challenging educational
materia l which will not stifle the creativity of the learner ,better met within modular scheduling.Modules helps to develop self
learning capacity among the learner. The present study is an attempt to find out the effectiveness of self learning modules on
biology learning.
Key words: Self Learning module, Instructional module, modular approach

I. INTRODUCTION
Modern era is an age of globalization and liberalization in • be capable of fitting into a variety of learning paths,
which new technologies are helping the teachers and the methods and situations.
learners in disseminating information which is normally not A module consists of the following components.
possible through any other means. Educational innovations
Ø Statement of purpose
and technology emphasize various approaches to teaching
–learning.Educational technology implies the use of all Ø Desirable pre-requisite skills.
modern media,methods,materials,practices,theories and Ø Instructional objectives.
principles for maximising the learning out come.It facilities Ø Entrybehaviour test.
learning, by control of environment,media and method .In Ø Transaction of instruments.
student centered approach,the strategies are designed to
Ø Criterion test
provide the students with a highly flexible systemof learning
,which is geared to individual’s life and learning styles. Ø Pretest
Recent interactive implementationsof the world wide web Ø Post test
and other instructional strategies like self learning modules Self learning module allows the learner to learn at their pace,
and computer based learning system offers opportunities for learner can acquire knowledge, skills and attitude in the
sharing ideas, posing questions and presenting individual absence of a teacher.
discoveries at the time of convenience and better at the time
of thought. III. REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES
The basic purpose of this individualized system of instruction In the APEID report (1976) a module was defined as a set of
is to develop critical thinking an intellectual process of learning opportunities organized around a well defined topic
activity conceptualizing, applying,analyzing, synthesizing which contains the elements of instruction, specific
and evaluating information gathered from observation, objectives, teaching learning activities and evaluation. The
experience, reflection or communications following studies envisages the efficacy of learning modules.
Dishner (1975) conducted An experimental study to
II. SELF LEARNING MODULES investigate the effectiveness of the modules, by comparing
Amodule is a short unit of instruction dealing with a single students who were taught by proficiency modules, with
conceptual unit of subject matter. It is a self contained and students taught by traditional approach . There were fifty
independent unit of instruction with the primary focus on a seven students in the two control groups and sixty students in
few well defined objectives. the two experimental groups. In the four of the five units and
According to Purushothaman (1986) a teaching/learning in the total tests the students taught by the proficiency module
module should have four criteria. performed significantly better than the students taught by the
conventional method. Kryspin (1974) reported that self
• Present or define a set of learning situations instructional module can be used as an effective teaching
• have its own carefully specified function and be directed learning device in educational psychology course. Windell
at clearly defined objectives. (1975) from his study with self instructional teacher training
• Include tests designed to guide the learner or teacher and module revealed that the modules are effective to produce
provide them with feed back. reliable changes in trainees knowledge and skill in the use of

[1]
Assistant Professor, N.S.S. Training College, Pandalam Pathanamthitta, Kerala

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International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR) Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2015

techniques for determining the reading level of the

Table 2: Consolidated results of analysis of covariance of
exceptional children. Lampe (1984) developed and evaluated
total scores under each category of objectives: Knowledge,
five self-instructional modules to provide basic knowledge
understanding, application, skill.
on the identification and correction of reading difliculties.
The modules were used for diagnostic prescriptive reading
instruction, word recognition skills, the informal assessment Categories of objectives Source of variation df SSx Ssy SSxy SSyx MSyx SDyx Fy.x Level of significance.
of reading difficulties and the correction of reading
difficulties. Results from the evaluation showed that the Among means 1 5.2 504.9 50.01 158.7 158.7
modules were suitable for the intended purpose.Kumar Al categories together 3.4 15.2 P<0.01
(1990) conducted a study on the Effect of Teacher assisted with ingropus 67 297.14 827.5 158.79 740 10.07
Modular Approach in learning Physics in Secondary schools
Among means 1 0.01 43.78 1.07 57.02 57.02
of Kerala State. The study concluded that the Teacher
Knowledge 1.01 50.3 P<0.01
Assisted Modular approach ismore effective than Textbook with ingropus 67 50.42 85.56 3.4 70.18 70.18
approach in teaching physics.
Among means 1 .286 21.64 1.24 21.64 1.34
IV. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Understanding 1.4 11.2 P<0.01
with ingropus 67 50.46 121.43 9.5 .77 1.8
To find out the effectiveness of self leaning modules on
achievement in biology at secondary level. Among means 1 .6 120.02 2.8 12.36 12.36
Application 1.3 7.8 P<0.05
V. METHODOLOGY with ingropus 67 54.6 110.08 .82 1.73
The present study is an attempt to study the effectiveness of Among means 1 5.08 388.9 10.12 316.9 316.9
self learningmodules on achievement in biology, so the Skill 2.2 60.1 P<0.01
investigator selected experimental method with pretest post with ingropus 67 50.42 84.6 3.4 72.16 72.16
testnon equivalent group design.
Sample consists of 70 IXth standard students of Ernakulam
District Studying Kerala state syllabus.
Table 3: Consolidated results of analysis of adjusted means
The main tools used for the study were of the post test scores for total achievement and objective
• Self learningModule on “Photosynthesis” wise achievement of control and experimental group.
• Achievement test in biology
An entry test was prepared based on the concepts relevant to Categories of Groups N Mx My Myx t value Level of
Photosynthesis. A pre achievement test was administered objectives significance
before experimentation. The experimental group was taught
through modular approach and the control group was taught Experimental group 35 5.2 13.2 12.9
All categories 6.49
through existing activity oriented method, after the together
P<0.01
experimentation post test was administered and scores were Control group 35 4.9 7.8 7.92
analyzed by applying relevant statistical techniques such
asie. Mean, Standard deviation, ANCOVA, Critical ratio.
Experimental group 35 1.53 3.3 3.45
Table 1: Consolidated results of analysis of variance of Knowledge
total scores on achievement under each category of 8.2 P<0.01
objectives; Knowledge, understanding, application, skill. Control group 35 1.52 1.8 1.77

Categories of objectives Source of variation df SSx SSy MSx MSy Fx Fy Level of significance.

Among means 1 5.2 504.94 5.2 504.6 Fx>0.05 Experimental group 35 1.09 2.87 2.85
Al categories together 1.17 40.9
Understanding 3.5 P<0.01
with ingropus 68 297.14 827.5 4.37 12.19 Fy<0.01
Control group 35 1.03 1.76 1.78
Among means 1 0.01 43.78 0.01 43.78 Fx>0.05
Knowledge 0.02 36.4
with ingropus 68 50.42 85.56 .759 1.24 Fy<0.01
Experimental group 35 1.2 2.4 2.43
Among means 1 .286 21.64 .286 21.64 Fx>0.05
Understanding .38 11.9 Application 2.8 P<0.01
with ingropus 68 50.46 85.56 .759 1.24 Fy<0.01 Control group 35 1.1 1.6 1.59
Among means 1 .6 120.02 .6 12.02 Fx>0.05
Application
.87 7.3
with ingropus 68 54.6 110.08 .82 1.73 Fy<0.01 Experimental group 35 1.53 4.4 4.2

Among means 1 5.08 388.9 5.08 388.9 Skill 2.8 P<0.01

Skill Fx>0.05
1.04 82.9 Control group 35 1.26 2.4 2.69
with ingropus 68 50.42 84.6 4.89 4.6
Fy<0.01

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International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR) Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2015

The obtained Fx and Fy ratios were tested for significance. VI. CONCLUSION
The table value of F ratiois not significant even at 0.05 level.
The students treated with modular approach achieved higher
Since the F test applied to the initial score (X), Fx falls far
mean scores than those students taught through activity
shortof significance at 0.05 level. It is clear that the means do
oriented method. The study reveals the effectivenesss of self
not differ significantly.The table value of F ratio is highly
instructional module on achievement among secondary
significant . So it can be interpreted that there issignificant
school students and the administrators must take necessary
difference between the post test scores of the two groups.
steps to give special training to teachers in developing
The analysis of the covariance of the scores of the pre test and modular packages.
post test of theexperimental and control groups were
computed.
VII. REFERENCES
Since the obtained Fyx ratio is highly significant at0.01 level
1. Ahuja, M and Singla, D (2005) Effect of ability grouping
of significance, The significant Fyx ratio shows that the means
for self learning modules of Achievement of student in
of the post-test scores of students in the experimental and relation to their gender and socio economic status.
control groups have significant difference. The significant Research journal social sciences, vol 13, No.2, PP 84-102.
Fyx ratio also shows that the means of the post-test scores of
students in the experimental and control groups differ 2. Best, J.W. (1985). Research in education (5thedn),
significantly even after they have been adjusted for difference prentice Hall of India, New Delhi.
in the pre-test scores. So it can be inferred that the 3. Purushothaman, P. (1987). Paper presentation on modular
achievement of biology among secondary school students organization of course in workshop on teaching
taught through self learning module is significantly better competencies and faculty development programme,
than those taught through the activity oriented method of Annamala University, Madras.
instruction. 4. Sujatha, J.D, and Gowri, A.R (2008). Effectiveness of
The adjusted means of the post-test scores (Y means) of modular packages in teaching Biology, edutracks, Vol
students in the experimentaland control groups were 8(3) P-36-38.
compared and the difference between the adjusted ‘Y’
meanswere tested for significance.The calculated ‘t’ value is
significant at 0.01 level. The significantly greater adjusted
‘Y’ mean of the experimental group than the control group
indicates that experimental group is superior to control
group, on achievement in biology. It may therefore be
interpreted that the students taught through self learning
module has better achievement in biology than those taught
through activity oriented method of instruction.
The consolidated results of analysis of variance and
covariance of the pretest and protest scores of control and
experimental groups for total scores and scores under each
category of objectives shows that experimental groups taught
through self instuctional module was found to be superior to
the control group taught through the existing activity oriented
method. So the results throwlight on the effectiveness of self
instructional module in teaching Biology over existing
activity oriented method of instruction.

VI. EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

The present study implies that this is a self-learning style in
which immediate reflection of the self is possible, which will
motivate the students to regulate and manage their own
learning styles, and thereby to create an interest and attitude
towards science among the students as they are free to learn at
their own pace. Hence teachers should promote self learning
among the students to make them better learners. With help of
modules students can learn according to their own pace and
interest which boosts their confidence in their own learning.
The teachers should prepare self learning modules and
packages in different subjects and thereby they could make
the teaching learning environment more active and
interesting.

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