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Assessing the impact of multimedia application on student conceptual understanding in Quantum Physics at the Rwanda College of Education

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Abstract

Students ability to build correct knowledge relies on their understanding of concepts. Students must understand the concept well before applying it in real-life situations. With the advent of technology, teaching and learning quantum physics has been made easier and more effective in enhancing students’ critical thinking and conceptual understanding. A multimedia-based learning approach is one way to enhance conceptual understanding. With the help of the multimedia application, this study aims to assess its impact on students’ conceptual understanding of quantum physics at the University of Rwanda College of Education (UR-CE). The study adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design with control and treatment group. Three hundred eighty-five undergraduate students in the UR-CE were purposively selected and allocated into the treatment group (193 students) and the control group (192 students). Control group students were taught eight quantum physics topics for six weeks using the traditional teaching approach, while treatment group students were taught the same topics using animations, PhET simulations, and YouTube videos. The study resulted in a very high statistically significant difference (p < .001) between teaching interventions provided after post-testing in favor of students who learned with multimedia (with a large effect size of 0.694). The use of multimedia resulted in a statistically significant increase in the student’s conceptual understanding of quantum physics. The study’s findings suggest that multimedia tools are effective for learning because they can enhance students’ conceptual understanding of quantum physics. However, interactions between teachers and students or student-to-student are essential to facilitate conceptual learning and help the students gain a valuable understanding of their learning.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available to use from the Mendeley repository: Dataset from the University of Rwanda College of Education during Learning Quantum Physics. https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/gm49fmx86t/5.

Readers are able to view the raw data, replicate the study, and re-analyze and/or reuse the data (with appropriate attribution). The data has been published previously by the Digital Commons.

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Acknowledgements

The first author received financial support for data collection from the African Center of Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS). Students who participated willingly in this study are also appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. African Center of Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS), University of Rwanda-College of Education (UR-CE), Rwamagana, PO. Box 55, Rwanda

    Pascasie Nyirahabimana

  2. School of Education, University of Rwanda–College of Education (UR-CE), Rwamagana, PO. Box 55, Rwanda

    Pascasie Nyirahabimana, Evariste Minani & Mathias Nduwingoma

  3. School of Education, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mbarara, PO. Box 1411, Uganda

    Imelda Kemeza

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  1. Pascasie Nyirahabimana
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  2. Evariste Minani
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Correspondence to Pascasie Nyirahabimana.

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The research project successfully passed through the University of Rwanda College of Education ethical committee by following the established ethical process: (1) presentation of the research proposal, (2) submission of the application and tools to be used for ethical research clearance, and (3) review and approval of the application by the ethical research committee.

Also, before participation, all participants were provided with clear and comprehensive information regarding the study’s purpose, procedures, and benefits. They were given ample time to ask questions and clarify any concerns before providing their voluntary and informed consent to participate. Participants were assured of their right to withdraw from the study without penalty.

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

A: Suplimented items UR-CE module to QPCS

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Nyirahabimana, P., Minani, E., Nduwingoma, M. et al. Assessing the impact of multimedia application on student conceptual understanding in Quantum Physics at the Rwanda College of Education. Educ Inf Technol 29, 3423–3444 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11970-8

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