THE VALIDATION OF GAMIFICATION BASED MODULE (Bio-GamyX) FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING BIOLOGY

This study aims to obtain the value of content validity for the Bio-GamyX module draft. This module was developed based on the use of gamification elements in teaching and learning Biology specifically for topic Chemical Composition of the Cell. Gamification elements such as points, badges, leader board, levels/stages, storyline, and time restriction have been integrated into this module to engage students in teaching and learning, thus, making learning fun. As to validate this module draft, the process comprises of two main validation steps, namely 1. module content validation and 2. module activities validation. This study involves nine subject matters experts consist of academicians and practitioners in modular instruction, teaching and learning Biology, and gamification area. Before the validation process takes place, the Bio-GamyX module draft was developed after going through the process of literature review and need analysis. The module draft consists of eight sessions and eight activities. The results indicate that the Bio-GamyX module gained a high content validity value (84%) and a high validity of sessions and activities (88%) which is above the threshold value of 70% as advocates by Tuckman and Waheed, (1981). The implication of this study shows that the Bio-GamyX module has high content validity before it can be tested for its reliability in a pilot study.

Modular Instruction in Biology: It’s Effect on Students’ Performance

This investigation ascertained the effect of modular instruction on the performance in Biology of freshmen fishery students at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC) - College of Fisheries during the second semester of the school year 2009-2010. Experimental research using the pre - test, post - test control group design was employed to achieve the objectives of the study. Participants were grouped into the experimental and the control groups. The experimental group was exposed to modular instruction while the control group was exposed to lecture-discussion approach. The pre-test performances of both experimental and control groups were fair. The post-test performance of the experimental group taught by modular instruction was superior while that of the control group taught by lecture-discussion was very good. A significant difference was found between the pre - test of the modular and lecture-discussion groups in favor of the latter group. A significant difference was found between the post - test results of the control group in favor of the experimental group. Significant differences were found between the pre - tests and post -tests of the experimental and control groups hence, modular instruction was better than the lecture -discussion approach in effecting students’ performance in Biology. Keywords - Modular Instruction, Students’ Performance, Pretest, Post-test, Control group, Experimental Group, Lecture-discussion

Teaching medical physiology in Brazil.

An analysis of physiology teaching in Brazil is carried out based on data collected from a questionnaire sent to 78 medical schools. It investigates faculty graduate degrees, time spent on teaching, audiovisual equipment available, evaluation of student performance, books in current use, and areas of research. Local results as compared with those from an international sample have shown a preference for lectures and that large departments are more concerned with research, but changes are underway to introduce computer simulations and modular instruction as a means to improve teaching.