Identifying Factors Influencing the Use of Computer 3D Animation in Teaching Biology Among Secondary Schools’ Teachers in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Biology teachers’ ability to use ICT positively impacts their students’ learning and contributes to their students’ academic performance. Moreover, when teachers lack basic ICT skills necessary to teach biology using 3D animation, it has a detrimental ripple impact on how well students conceptualize abstract biological concepts, principles, or laws which cannot be simply demonstrated by oral presentation or lecture method. The purpose of this study was to identify related factors faced by biology teachers in secondary schools in teaching biology-employing computer 3D animation. The study’s findings identified and established three major factors considered as hurdles influencing the use of computer 3D animation faced by biology teachers when employing computer 3D animation in teaching biology. These factors or hurdles are:institutions have little or no resources to assist teachers in teaching biology using computer 3D animation, teachers lacking basic skills-procedure (in operating ICT devices) related to computer 3D animation use, and teachers lacking the basic skills in teaching biology (content) utilizing computer 3D animation. When these barriers are overcome, 3D animation would improve students’ conceptual understanding of biological concepts, principles or laws, and processes, as well as their academic achievements. It is recommended that biology teachers receive ICT training, and administrators should provide access to ICT tools needed by teachers for better content delivery

Keywords

Computer 3D animation (C3D), Information Communication Technologies (ICT), Factors, Barriers, Teaching Skills