Needs Analysis: Developing an Innovative Instructional Module to Teach Osmosis and Diffusion Concepts

Abstract

In education, learning and teaching activities play a vital role in presenting permanent and meaningful learning to Science students, including those studying Biology. The perception of Biology as a challenging subject stems from students' difficulty visualizing molecular processes and their lack of skills in solving higher-order thinking problems. Bridging this gap in Biology instruction becomes imperative to enhance students' understanding. Thus, the objective of this study is to perform a needs analysis in order to assess the necessity for developing an innovative instructional module to teach osmosis and diffusion concepts for the Form Four Biology curriculum. This study applied the Design and Development Research (DDR), using the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate). A research question was formulated for this study; how crucial is the development of an innovative teaching and learning module in teaching osmosis and diffusion concepts, in the view of experts? To seek the answer, semi-structured interviews were conducted involving three field experts. The data acquired from the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, facilitated by the use of Atlas.ti software. The key findings revealed four major themes that emerged from the needs analysis: (1) The importance of learning osmosis and diffusion, (2) Problems in Biology teaching and learning, (3) Teaching strategies, and (4) Desired improvements. Based on these themes, it appears that an alternative teaching module is needed to simplify the process of teaching and learning the concepts of osmosis and diffusion for both students and teachers. This study's implication can be observed in terms of practice in the school context, where it provides an alternative tool for teaching and learning Biology.