Application of blended learning method in biology teaching and evaluation of the results

The present study aimed at evaluating the application of the blended learning method in biology teaching as well as the results of the application of this method. For this purpose, the effects of the blended learning method applied during the lesson unit of ?Classification of Living Things and Biodiversity? on students? biology achievement, their biology attitudes and self-efficacy perceptions, their Internet-use attitudes and self-efficacy perceptions were examined; in addition, the students? views about the method and application were also investigated.The present study, in which the pretest-posttest control-group model was applied as the research model, was carried out in the lesson unit of ?Classification of Living Things and Biodiversity? with 9th grade students attending Nevzat Ayaz Anatolian High School in the second term of the academic year of 2009-2010. The classrooms constituting the study group was determined on random basis. In addition, the experimental group and the control group were also randomly determined. As a result, the classes of 9-A and 9-C formed the experimental group, and the classes of 9-D and 9- E constituted the control group. 13 students from the experimental group were not included in data analysis as they either did not take part in the data collection process or did not follow the activities via the Internet. Thus, the study group was made up of a total of 107 students, 47 whom were in the experimental group and 60 of whom were in the control group. The data collection tools included the biology achievement test developed by the researcher, the biology attitude scale, the biology self-efficacy perception scale, the Internet-use attitude scale, the Internet self-efficacy scale, the scale of learners? views about blended learning and interview questions. The application lasted 11 weeks. Before the applications started, the biology achievement test, the biology attitude scale and the biology self-efficacy perception scale were applied to both groups, while the Internet-use attitude scale and the Internet self-efficacy scale were applied only to the experimental group as pretest. Prior to the application, a meeting was held with the experimental group students in two course hours to inform them about the process. First, they were informed about the blended learning method and about the expectations from them. Following this, with the help of a computer and a projector in the classroom, the website was introduced to the students. They were taught how to sign up the website and were informed about the things they would pay attention to during the activities. In the experimental group, the lessons were taught in a way appropriate to the blended learning method both via the Internet and on face-to-face basis. As the online dimension of the blended learning method, Moodle, a Learning Management System (LMS), was used. The content of the lesson unit of ?Classification of Living Things and Biodiversity? was presented as 8 subjects and made open to students? access via Moodle on the website of www.e-biyoloji.net considering the curriculum. For each subject, the website included summaries, videos, visual presentations (PowerPoint), animations, related links, a dictionary, quizzes, research subjects (homework) and a forum section. In face-to-face environment, the research subjects were presented to the students in the form of discussion and question-answer. In the classroom, by evaluating the activities carried out via the Internet with the help of a computer connected to the Internet, the teacher clarified the points that the students did not understand. In the control group, the lessons were taught on the basis of traditional face-to-face instruction in the classroom environment. Following the application, the data collection tools applied to both groups previously as pretest were applied to the same groups as posttest. In addition, the scale of learners? views about blended learning was applied to the experimental group, and interviews were held with the group. For the analysis of the data, the Kolmogorov Smirnov test, independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were conducted. For these analyses, the SPSS 15.0 package software was used, and the significance level was taken as 0.05.As a result of the analyses of the research data, a significant difference between the Biology Achievement posttest mean scores of the students in the experimental and control groups was found in favor of the experimental group (p<0.05). On the other hand, no significant difference was found between the students? post application scores regarding the biology attitude and self-efficacy perception scales as well as the sub-dimensions of these scales (p>0.05). For the experimental group, the results of the analysis of the data regarding the Internet attitude and self-efficacy perception scales before and after the application revealed a significant difference between the students? Internet attitude pre- and post-application scores in favor of post-application (p<0.05). With respect to the sub-dimensions of the Internet attitude scale, a significant difference was found between the attitudes towards Internet use in teaching, researching and information sharing in favor of post-application. In addition, no significant difference was found between the Internet self-efficacy scale pre- and post-application scores of the experimental group students (p>0.05). As a result of the analysis of the view scale applied to the students to ask for their views about the method and application, it was seen that their views were ?highly? positive. The interviews held with the students revealed that the blended learning method provided students with various opportunities such as getting prepared for the lessons, reviewing the lessons as many times as wanted, reaching the subject-related materials without being dependent on time and place, testing oneself and communicating with the teacher and other students out of the school. The interviews also revealed that there were various problems though such as lack of Internet connection at home and problems experienced while playing the videos. Consequently, if no problems with the infrastructure of the Internet are experienced, it is believed that the blended learning method will be beneficial in biology teaching.