INTEGRATION OF COMPUTER SIMULATION INTO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE GENERAL BIOLOGY LABORATORY

The pedagogical effectiveness of the integration of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) into the community college general biology laboratory was compared with that of traditional "hands on" biology laboratory instruction. Two evaluative instruments were used as a measure of student achievement: a multiple choice test (pretest/posttest format) and a laboratory report form. The multiple choice posttest was readministered at a later date as an indicator of learning retention. Both evaluative instruments were referenced as to higher and lower cognitive learning skills according to Bloom's Taxonomy and subscores for each category were obtained. Student pre- and post-attitude toward CAI was addressed through the administration of a CAI attitude inventory. Enzyme Investigations, a program developed for HRM Software by James Chandler (1985) was used in this study. Statistical comparisons consisted of either ANOVA or multifactor ANOVA with the level of rejection at 0.05. CAI students did not differ at either cognitive level of learning achievement from traditionally instructed lab students when measured with a multiple choice test. A significant difference was noted favoring CAI students for higher cognitive level learning as measured by a laboratory report. Gender differences favoring male CAI students approached significance (p = 0.0759) using the multiple choice test but comparable differences were not noted with lab report scores. When test scores of students at varying levels of academic achievement (as measured by grade point average) were compared, the CAI and traditional groups' performances were similar for both evaluative instruments. No significant difference was noted between the CAI and traditional groups when learning retention was measured. Student participation in the CAI produced no significant change in attitude toward this instructional strategy. It was concluded that when the two forms of instruction were compared in the general biology laboratory, integrated CAI was at least as effective as traditional methods at the community college level. Additionally, CAI appears to be more effective than traditional lab methods for teaching higher level cognitive skills.