ACTION RESEARCH

SCHOOL YEAR 2018 - 2019

DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF E – LEARNING SOFTWARE

AND INSTRUCTIONAL DEVICES

KRISTINA CARLA G. RENIVA, Ed.D, FRIEdr.

JUANA A. ARVESU
JEANETTE R. MILLENA
Magdalena Integrated National High School
 ABSTRACT

Keywords: development and assessment, instructional device and e –

learning software.

The purpose of the study is to develop and assess different E – learning

software and instructional devices in Araling Panlipunan 10. For the

development of the e – learning projects, different software development tools

were used. Selected sections in Grade 10 became the study participants. The

students under investigation were given Pre – Test and Post – Test to get

Mean Percentage Score. Upon completion of the requirements needed in

developing the projects, a validated instrument to measure the students’

attitude towards e – learning was used to determine the project’s

acceptability. All the students’ were asked to evaluate the project before and

after implementation. Findings shows that Mean Percentage Score increases

when supplemented the instruction with the use of e – learning programs and

instructional devices while, the attitudes of the students towards e – learning

program increases after the used of the software.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

“A thankful heart is not just the greatest virtue but the mother of all the virtues”

- CICERO

To all of the people that help us in the completion of this project, our sincerest
gratitude and felicitations.

CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

There are many definitions of e – learning across literature. Wetling

(2000) and Rosenberg (2001) defined e – learning as utilization of Internet

and related tools and technologies to provide a broad range of solutions that

improves performance and knowledge. E – learning is the term widely used to

refer to instructional material or learning practice disseminated or supported

by electronic tools and technologies (Ong, 2004).

According to Philipps (2001), classroom are being equipped with the

latest computer technology for the faculty to use the latest software, E –

learning materials, incorporate electronic presentations into their teaching,

presenting video, connect to the internet, and other training devices and

equipment. Clearly, a major goal of all instruction is for the student to be able

to retain as much knowledge of the subject as possible through the use of

technologies (Custodio, 2000).

The development and design of e –learning can assist and enhance

the teaching – learning process.

Teachers and students can carry forward their work through an E –

learning software (Custodio, 2000) in ways that are similar to and tightly

intertwined with the traditional ways that they learn, teach and study in

libraries, classrooms, laboratories, seminars and conferences. The developed

e – learning software was also used to instruct the student where the

computer contains the instruction which is designed to teach, guide and test

the student until a desired level of proficiency is attained. When it is

successfully integrated becomes a resource that is used seamlessly and on a

regular basis by teachers and students to implement goals and objectives of

the curriculum.

Along with increasing inclination towards E – learning within

academics, it is very necessary to identify perspectives of E – learning from

the ultimate stakeholders, the students. This paper tries to examine Grade 10

Araling Panlipunan students’ perception about the developed E – learning

software and instructional device.

INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY

In this study the researcher focused on the development and

assessment of different E – learning software and Instructional devices in

Araling Panlipunan 10. Different software development tools were used in

developing E – learning projects like Adobe Flash CS4 for special effects and

animations, VB.Net for the interface design and Adobe Photoshop CS3 for

graphics enhancement.

Web development tools were used in developing the AP online, one of

the E- learning projects made. HTML, CSS, Java Script, AJAX and JQuery

were used for its front end; MySQL for the data base as back end of the

system; and for designs and other features, Camtasia 7.0, Adobe Photoshop

CS5 and Adobe Image Ready CS2 were used.

 In developing the instructional devices, several operational hardware

requirements were considered. Specific electronic tools and components were

integrated in the project after analyzing the lessons and activities included in

Araling Panlipunan 10 second quarter.

The researcher conducted an interview to the students served as the

respondents to evaluate their attitudes towards the E – learning software.

ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The main purpose of this study is to develop and assess an E –

learning software and instructional devices for Araling Panlipunan. The

specific questions are:

1. What is the students’ attitude towards the E – learning software and

instructional devices before and after the implementation?

2. What is the Mean Percentage Score (MPS) in the Pre – test and

Post – Test?

3. Is there a difference between the students’ attitudes towards the E

learning software and instructional devices before and after the

implementation?

4. Is there a difference between the Mean Percentage Score in the

Pre – test and Post – test?

5. Does the developed E – learning software and instructional devices

helps in the improvement of students’ performance in post - test?

ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

The researcher selected three sections of Grade 10 students at

Magdalena Integrated National High School. The three sections were

purposively selected because the three had similar characteristics in terms of

intellectual capability. All the students in two sections were employed in the

study. Section A had thirty six (36) students, while Section B comprises of

thirty eight (38) students then, Section C had a thirty five (35) students a total

of one hundred nine (109) students under investigation in this study. All the

students had permission from the parents and all the personal information

were treated with utmost confidentiality.

This study used a descriptive method of research, for the development

of E – learning and instructional devices, System Development Life Cycle

(SDLC) model was used. It is a technique that divides complex projects into

an easily manage phases. The researcher started in the process of

developing the project in the first phase, followed by planning, design,

development, testing, implementation and maintenance phase. These phases

provided the researcher flexible guidelines in developing the E – learning

software and instructional devices.

In determining the students’ attitude towards E – learning software and

instructional devices the researcher used the Rosenberg and Fishbein model

about attitudes and behavior. The students validated the E – learning program

and instructional devices in terms of time management, e –learning teaching

efficiency, needs for technical advancement, schedule flexibility and reducing

cost. The instruments were given before and after the exposure to the said

software and devices.

 A Pre – test and Post – test was administered in order to assess the

effectiveness of the developed E – learning software and instructional

devices. The Mean Percentage Score of both tests were treated statistically to

find the difference between the two.

Data were tabulated and analyzed using weighted mean and standard

deviation. To determine the difference between the students’ attitude before

and after the implementation and the mean percentage score in pre – test and

post – test paired sample T – test were utilized.

To determine the association between the developed E – learning

software and instructional devices to the students’ performance in pre – test

and post – test, chi square test of independence were utilized.

DISCUSSIONS OF RESULTS AND REFLECTIONS

Students’ attitude towards e – learning before and after the

implementation

To assess the acceptability level of the developed e – learning software

and instructional devices in teaching selected topics in Araling Panlipunan 10

second quarter the researcher evaluated the students’ attitude towards the

program before the exposure to the software. It was evident in Table 1 that

the respondents disagree that the e – learning software and instructional

devices offers the possibility to efficiently managed time and an efficient

instructional method of teachers. Also, according to them the e – learning

software and instructional devices is not a learning environment that needs

advanced technical and knowledge used manifested by the mean of 2.23.

While, as said by the same students the developed e – learning software and
instructional devices does not assures schedule flexibility and it cannot

reduced educational cost.

After the students’ exposure to the developed software the same

survey instrument was given to measure the students’ attitudes towards the

program that validate the level of acceptability of the said innovation. Table 2

showed that the students’ agrees with the statement in the questionnaire

revealing that the developed e – learning offers the possibility to efficiently

manage their time and an efficient instructional method the teachers’ used.

Students also agree that e – learning software and instructional devices

needs advanced technical and knowledge used. E – Learning assures

schedule flexibility and reduced educational cost.

The data presented manifests that the theory of Muzaffer was indeed

reliable about the acceptance and rejection region. According to the theory if

changes was introduced to certain group of individuals the first reaction was

to reject it but as the process continue they will learn how to accept the

changes. This is what happened to the Grade 10 students, at the initial

implementation of the program the students’ attitude towards the program is

negative and the acceptability level is low but after the exposure to the said

program the students’ attitudes towards the program becomes positive and

the level of acceptability increases. The findings indicated that the E –

learning software and instructional devices was accepted by the student

respondents evident by the increase in students’ attitudes towards E –

learning before and after the exposure.

Sanders and Shelter (2001) observed attitude of undergraduate

students towards the web – enabled learning components in Biology course.

The outcomes exhibited a constructive influence on critical thinking skills,

problem – solving skills and student learning. The finding is in parallel to the

above mentioned findings because both observed an attitude of the students

to the E – learning software while, the present study used the Grade 10

students the latter study used a college student nonetheless both exhibited a

student learning.

Mean Percentage Score (MPS) result of pre – test and post - test

The researcher claimed that the e – learning software and devices was

an effective innovation to increase students’ learning on the selected topics in

Araling Panlipunan 10 Mga Kontemporaryong Isyu. To validate such

conclusion the researcher followed the pre – test and post –test design. The

pre – test was given before the using of the said program whiles the post –

test was given after the implementation of the e – learning program. Using the

Department of Education’s calculation of the individual Mean Percentage

Score (MPS) same with the National Achievement Test (NAT) table 3

revealed an increase in the students’ individual MPS. The pre – test

registered a 47.64% MPS implied that the students had an average mastery

before the lesson. Upon giving the post – test and increase in the individual

MPS was registered evidenced by 70.12% implying the moving towards

mastery performance.

An increase in the performance can be attributed to the exposure of the

Grade 10 students in the developed e – learning software and instructional

devices. In this method the students were given a first - hand experience for

the learning about the topic through computer – aided instruction.

 Similar with the study of De Leon (2001) which concluded that

Computer Assisted Program (CAP) was effective as revealed by a significant

increase in the performance of respondents from the pre – test to post – test

in all of the content areas under study.

Difference between the students’ attitudes towards the E learning

software and instructional devices before and after the implementation

An increase in the students’ attitudes towards E – learning software

and instructional devices was evident but Table 4 showed that such increase

is significant implying that the null hypothesis of there is no significant

difference between the students’ attitudes towards E – learning software and

instructional devices is rejected at 0.05 level of confidence. This means that

the students’ attitude before the exposure to the developed E – learning

software and instructional device is negative it can be attributed to the lacking

of students’ exposure to the Computer Assisted Program in the instructional

process. After the students’ exposure to the said software and instructional

devices the students’ attitudes become positive the shift can be attributed to

the time management, teaching efficiency, technical advancement, schedule

flexibility and reducing cost feature of the developed E – learning software

and instructional devices. Therefore, the developed e – learning software and

instructional devices was accepted by the students’ respondents.

Sabah (2013) stated that positive attitudes of students towards e –

learning are scheduling, flexibility, reducing cost and time saving where

students have the opportunity to learn regardless of location or time.

However, the negative attitude of students towards e – learning is the

incapability of students to use technology tools efficiently and unavailability of

certain technologies. The study of Sabah is the same with the recent study

because both dwells of the same variables to measure students’ attitudes

towards e – learning. The recent study to measure the variable it was given

before and after implementation of the said program.

Difference between the Mean Percentage Score in the Pre – test and
Post – test

Table 5 summarizes the difference between the mean percentage

score of pre – test and post – test. There was an increase in the students’

performance in both tests but that increase is not significant. Therefore, the

null hypothesis that there is no significant difference between the pre – test

and post – test result was accepted at 0.05 confidence level wherein the

computed t – value of .003 is less than the critical value of .498. This means

that even without the aid of the said developed e – learning the students’ still

perform the same in the test.

The findings can be attributed to other factors such as students’

readiness in the software and intellectual capability.

Contrary to the study of Casupanan, (2005) who determine the effect of

electronic learning approach in teaching selected topics in Physics on the

performance of College students, one of the findings stated that there is a

significant difference existed between the pre – test and post – test results of

the electronic learning group. Findings revealed that the performance of the

students improved after using training mock – up multi tester.

The difference in the findings of the two studies can be attributed to the

educational level of the respondents the present study employed Grade 10

students in Araling Panlipunan while the latter study employed college

students in Physics.

E – learning software and instructional devices helps in the

improvement of students’ performance in post – test

Table 6 summarizes the e – learning software and instructional devices

helps on the improvement of the students’ performance in pre – test and post

– test. It was presented by a factorial analysis. The null hypothesis that the

developed e – learning software and instructional devices cannot help in the

improvement of students’ performance in post – test is accepted at 0.05 level

of confidence evident by a lesser computed t – value compared to critical

value indicating a not significant association was accepted.

In terms of time management wherein the developed e – learning

software offers the possibility to the efficient management of students’ time

does not affect the students’ performance in the post – test. This means that

the students needed a guide that managed the time for them to be able to

learn.

In terms of e – learning teaching efficiency the developed e – learning

is not efficient as their teachers’ instructional method. This means that

students’ still preferred the modular method.

In terms of technical advancement the developed e – learning software

and instructional devices is an environment which needs an advanced

technical and knowledge used. This means that even without the technical

skills the students still learn the lessons presented to them.

The developed e – learning software offers schedule flexibility but the

students learned through a structured lesson guided by a budget of work. .

 The developed e – learning software reduces educational cost but the

students learn in the traditional settings with a book on hand that is costly.

The researcher claimed that the demographic location is the major

factor which brought up the above – mentioned findings. The locality of the

recent study is Magdalena Integrated National High School. Magdalena,

Laguna is a fourth class municipality wherein agriculture is the main source of

income and technical skill is low due to the low socio economic profile. The

claimed was supported by the observation of Bertea (2009) that there is a

connection between technical capabilities and students’ attitudes towards e –

learning. Similar to the study of Naila (2016) the result confirmed the

readiness of the students to adopt e – learning and recognized its’ used to

education though technical support and stress of using technology were noted

to be discouraging factor to adopt e – learning. Similar to the findings in the

study of Vashney (2016) all the students demonstrated favorable attitudes

towards e – learning but rural girls showed less favorable attitudes compared

to urban girls students. Contrary to the findings of Rhema (2014) that the

demographic features such as gender differences, locality of the student,

current enrolment year and age have no effect on students’ attitude towards e

– learning.

Therefore the researcher strongly believes that teachers’ are playting a

key role in educational settings and their perception about e – learning affects

students’ attitude towards e – learning. The perception was supported by the

study of Qarwani (2010) in the engineering students at the University of

Kebangsan Malaysia. This study revealed that students prefer to study in

traditional learning approaches compared to e – learning. This implies that the

importance of e – learning is not move parallel with traditional learning

approaches and more actions are needed to improve the e – learning system.

ACTION PLAN

The result of the action research is in contrary to the widespread belief

that the computer aided instruction is a major factor for the students’

achievement. The study reveals otherwise, looking into consideration other

factors before implementing the web – based instruction.

The findings will be disseminated through conferences and publication.

The findings will also be cascaded to the policy division of the

Department of Education for archival for future references