ABSTRACT ONLINE COMMUNITIES IN PHYSICS INSTRUCTION: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND LEVEL OF SATISFACTION AUTHOR: JONATHAN C.

BRIONES, MSES Keywords: Online Community, Achievement and Satisfaction Physics Instruction, Student

This study determined the effects of the use of online communities in Physics Instruction on student achievement and level of satisfaction in Selected Physics Concepts, Naga City Science High School, SY 2010-2011. Specifically, it answered the following questions: 1) What is the level of achievement of the control and experimental groups along knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis of selected Physics concepts based on the pretest and posttest results? 2) What is the level of

satisfaction of the experimental group along the use of online communities, interaction difference perceived with the the ease of use 3) of Is the technology, a and

instructor? achievement

there of

significant control and

between

level

the

experimental groups based on the pretest and posttest results? 4) Is there a correlation and their between the experimental in selected groups Physics

satisfaction concepts? This

level

achievement

study

used

the

quasi-experimental

and

descriptive-

correlational methods involving two groups, the control and the experimental groups. A pretest that measured students level of

achievement

along

knowledge,

comprehension,

application,

and

analysis in selected Physics concepts were given to both groups, after which, the control group was taught using the traditional method while the experimental group was taught with the use of online communities approach. After a period of seven (7) weeks, the posttest was administered to both the control and

experimental groups to determine the achievement level of the students. Likewise, group a to questionnaire determine was administered of to the

experimental

their

level

satisfaction

towards along use of online communities, perceived ease of use of the technology, and interaction with the instructor. Major findings were: (1) The mean score of the student taught by the use of Online Communities was higher than the mean score of those was taught by the traditional at model 5% and the

difference

statistically

significant

significance

level along knowledge (t=-3.79, p=0.0004), comprehension (t=5.75, p=0.0000*), application (t=-4.92, p=0.0000*) and analysis (t=-3.96, p=0.0002); (2) The use of online communities was given a level of satisfaction mean of 6.31, described as moderately positive; ease of use of technology, 6.60 or strongly positive; interaction with instructor, 6.42 or moderately positive; and overall satisfaction, 6.44 or moderately positive. (3) The

coefficient of correlation for the experimental group between

the satisfaction level and achievement based on overall results was 0.362. Major conclusions were: (1) Use of Online Communities was more effective than the traditional method in teaching selected topics in Physics; (2) The level of satisfaction of the

experimental group along use of online communities, ease of use of course technology, and satisfaction with the instructor were moderately positive, strongly positive, and moderately positive, respectively; overall, the level of satisfaction was moderately positive. (3) A low positive but definite correlation existed between experimental groups level of satisfaction towards the use of online communities and achievement in selected Physics concepts.