Title: Effects of Flipped Classroom and Virtual Laboratory Simulations on Students' Academic Achievement and Practical Skills in Basic Science in Secondary Schools in Delta State
Authors: Dr. Odebala Eseoghene and Umukoro Ogheneovo Emmanuel
Volume: 9
Issue: 8
Pages: 89-95
Publication Date: 2025/08/28
Abstract:
This empirical study investigated the combined effects of flipped classroom instruction and virtual laboratory simulations on the academic achievement and practical skills of secondary school students studying Basic Science in Delta State, Nigeria. Guided by two research questions, the study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The population for this study comprised 174,570 Junior Secondary Two (JS2) students offering Basic Science in public secondary schools across Delta State. A sample of 120 JS2 students was drawn from six public secondary schools across urban and rural areas of Delta State through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a researcher-developed Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT) and Practical Skills Observation Rating Scale (PSORS), both validated by subject experts and tested for reliability. Descriptive statistics, and ANCOVA were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that flipped classroom approach was most effective in improving students' academic achievement, while virtual laboratory simulations produced the highest gains in students' practical skills. Both innovative strategies proved to be more effective than the traditional lecture method, which consistently recorded the lowest performance in both learning outcomes. It concludes that adopting such innovative strategies can address existing gaps in practical skill acquisition and poor academic performance while aligning classroom practices with global best practices. The study recommends that education policymakers, curriculum planners, and teachers in Delta State invest in teacher training, digital infrastructure, and continuous professional development to facilitate the sustainable use of flipped classrooms and virtual laboratories as effective teaching strategies.