Enhancing Student Engagement and Achievement in Biology through Interactive Slide Presentations

Abstract

In response to the emergence of Education 4.0 and the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to utilize effective emergency remote teaching technologies to enhance student engagement and achievement has never been more urgent. This Mixed Methods research investigated the effects of Biology Interactive Slide Presentations on the achievement and engagement of Grade 12 STEM students. Biology Interactive Slide Presentations were created using Pear Deck and Nearpod applications. Six Biology lessons about the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology and DNA Recombination were taught to 28 students using the educational tool. The students’ achievement was determined using a one-group pre-test-post-test design. The results of the paired-sample t-test revealed that there is a significant difference in the achievement of the students before and after the use of the learning tool. The students’ engagement was investigated through focus group discussion with five randomly selected students, and outcomes related to students’ engagement were identified as improving their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement.