A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF VIRTUAL CLASSROOM AND TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM METHOD OF TEACHING IN ACHIEVING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

This research work, based on an empirical analysis, compares performance of students which were tight though two different modes (virtual/traditional) of course delivery. This study designed a similar learning environment for both virtual and traditional groups. After the indices and analyzing the collected data; the study conclude that there is no significant difference between the two groups of students attitudes and performance.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0              INTRODUCTION

1.1              BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A classroom is a room dedicated primarily to teaching and learning activities. Classroom are found in educational institution of all kinds, including public and private schools. It is a safe place where learning can take place uninterrupted by other distinction.

The classroom is very essential in the school setting because all teaching and learning activities do take place in the classroom. Classroom with hundreds of students five or six to big classroom with hundreds of students.

The learning room with desks in rows and columns and a teacher is front. This room is usually overcrowded with students and one teacher. The mode of teaching in this classroom is being classified under the traditional classroom. This classroom can usually be found in most school across the world. But in Nigerian schools, the classroom is majorly found there.

The classroom can also be viewed as a learning environment designed to facilitate teachers management of educational courses for the student, especially a system using computer hardware and software for learning. This type of classroom termed the virtual classroom.

The virtual classroom can also be said as an online learning environment. The environment can be web based and accessed through a portal or software based and requires a downloadable file.

Various tools may be used in finding out the outcomes of these students. These includes tests, assignments, projects, observations interview and questionnaire.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It has been observed that in traditional method of teaching provides more or less on a particular topic been taught in various classes of the same level and this brings about different importation of knowledge in the student regarding the topic, while virtual classroom method of teaching helps the students in learning at their own pace or convenient time thereby giving room for thorough reading and assimilation of the lesson.

Therefore, there is need to carry out a research on the comparative study of virtual classroom and traditional classroom method of teaching.

1.3              PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to ascertain whether the traditional classroom should be used for teaching and learning in order to achieve the desire level of performance in students or rather to adapt to the virtual classroom system of teaching and learning.

1.4              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The finding from this study will provide better information on best classroom situation for teaching and learning so that students would learn at the same pace without any students being left out. At the end of the study, it will also bring convenience for the teachers.

1.5              RESEARCH QUESTIONS

-          Is traditional classroom method of teaching suitable in achieving better academic performance in students?

-          Should virtual classroom be adopted in secondary schools?

-          Should virtual classroom be preferred to traditional classroom in achieving academic performance of students?

1.6              SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study will be limited to two groups of students. 20 (twenty)students in group A will be taught in the traditional classroom method of teaching and another 20 (twenty) students in group B will be taught in the virtual classroom.

At the end, evaluation will be carried out of the performance of the students in the stated groups above. (A case study of students in federal college of education model secondary school, Abeokuta).

1.7              DEFINITION OF TERMS

i.                    Classroom: A room or place especially in a school in which classes are conducted.

ii.                  Traditional classroom: this is a learning environment with desk in rows and a teacher in front. The room is usually over crowded.

iii.                Virtual classroom: A virtual classroom is an online based educational portal used for remote learning.

iv.                Academic performance: This is how well someone does during their academics. This means how well did with school activities that go along with it.