The Effect of Educational Simulation on Learning and Academic Self-Efficacy of Students in Experiential Sciences Class

Abstract

The present research was conducted by the aim of investigating the effect of educational simulation on learning and academic self-efficacy in experiential sciences class in fifth-grade male students in the 4th district of Karaj, Iran. The statistical population included all the fifth-grade male students in elementary schools of the 4th district of Karaj in the academic year of 2019-2020. The study sample was selected by convenience sampling method and divided into two groups of 16 (experimental and control). The research method was semi-experimental with a pretest-posttest with control group design. The data collection tools included a researcher-made learning test and an academic self-efficacy test. To examine their validity, the comments and evaluations of teachers and professors were used. The reliability of the research instrument, that is the experiential sciences learning test, was determined by the Coder Richardson 21 which equaled 0.82, and 0.80, respectively and the Cronbach’s alpha for the academic self-efficacy test was 0.85. Univariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze learning test data and multivariate analysis of covariance was used to assess academic self-efficacy. The results showed that educational simulation had a positive effect on both variables of learning with %95 confidence level (F: 69.74, P: 0.000), and academic self-efficacy (F: 14.848, P: 0.000) in students of experiential sciences classes it can be used as a learning tool. Simulation education makes it easy for students to understand the method and nature of science in order to improve problem-solving, search and generalization, knowledge acquisition and promotion of positive attitudes.