EFFECT OF PHET SIMULATIONS ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT IN ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA

Abstract

Students often experience difficulty understanding abstract algebraic concepts, prompting the need for more effective instructional strategies. This study examined the effect of PhET simulations on junior secondary school students’ achievement in elementary algebra. Three research questions guided the study, and three hypotheses were tested. Two schools were randomly selected from Education District VI. The study adopted a pretest–posttest quasiexperimental design involving two intact classes in each school, randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received instruction supported with PhET simulations, whereas the control group was taught using the conventional chalk-and-talk method. The instrument for data collection was the Achievement Test in Elementary Algebra (ATEA). Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results revealed a statistically significant improvement in the achievement of students taught using PhET simulations compared to those in the control group. Based on these findings, the use of PhET simulations is recommended as an effective tool for enhancing students’ understanding of algebraic concepts in mathematics instruction.