Comparative Effectiveness of ICT-Based and Traditional Teaching Methods in Chemistry among Higher Secondary Students

Abstract

The use of technology in school education has created new possibilities for teaching subjects that involve abstract ideas and complex processes. Chemistry is one such subject where students often need visual explanation, practical understanding, and repeated presentation of difficult concepts. The present study compared the effectiveness of ICT-based teaching and traditional classroom teaching on the academic achievement of higher secondary students in Chemistry. A quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design was used. The sample consisted of 100 Class XI students divided into two groups. The experimental group included 50 students who received ICT-based Chemistry teaching, while the control group included 50 students who were taught through the traditional method.

A 50-mark Chemistry Achievement Test was used for pre-test and post-test assessment. Mean, standard deviation, gain score, paired t-test, and independent-samples t-test were used for statistical analysis. The pre-test mean scores of the ICT and traditional groups were 25.40 and 24.64 respectively, showing that both groups had nearly similar achievement before teaching. After instruction, the ICT group obtained a post-test mean of 35.98, while the traditional group obtained a mean of 29.78. The mean gain of the ICT group was 10.58 compared with 5.14 in the traditional group. The difference in post-test achievement and gain scores was statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The results indicate that although both methods improved achievement, ICT-based teaching produced considerably greater improvement in Chemistry learning. The study suggests the planned integration of digital resources with regular Chemistry teaching at the higher secondary level.