Learning Transfer and Durability in College Biology Students Via Computer-Assisted Instruction

Abstract

This study primarily aimed to identify students’ misconceptions/alternative conceptions and their sources; the effect of computer-assisted instruction on the Human Circulatory System (HCS) on students’ conceptual change, learning transfer and durability of learning; and students’ motivational beliefs and response to anomalous data as factors influencing conceptual change.

The hypotheses that there were no significant differences in students’ conceptual change, transfer of learning and durability of learning between the computer-assisted instruction (CAI) group and the traditional instruction (TI) group were tested.

The respondents of the study were on the section of first-year BS Development Communication students. The class was randomly divided into the CAI group and the TU group. The CAI group underwent instruction in the HCS using CAI while the TI group was taught using the chalk and board method. The study was divided into two phases: (1) design and development of HCS-CAI); and (2) tryout of CAI.