Efficacy of Demonstration-Guided Simulations on Male and Female Learners’ Conceptual Understanding: Lessons from Electromagnetic Induction in Selected Secondary Schools of Lusaka District

This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of Demonstration-Guided Simulations (DGSs) on students’ understanding of Electromagnetic Induction. The study used a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental approach with a Solomon four design on a sample of 132 secondary school students. Physics Achievement Test (PAT) was used to collect data, and the experimental and control groups were pretested before being taught Electromagnetic Induction using Faraday’s Electromagnetic Lab simulation or the traditional method respectively. All groups were then post-tested, and data was analyzed using independent samples t-tests for experimental and control groups. The study found that DGSs significantly improved student performance, with all experimental groups performing better than the control groups. Additionally, the simulations were found to be gender-friendly, as girls from the experimental group performed significantly better than those from the control group. The study concluded that the use of demonstration-guided simulations is more effective than traditional instruction methods and should be encouraged. The study recommended that the Curriculum Development Centre may incorporate DGSs into the curriculum, that the Ministry of General Education may include simulation training in teacher education programs, and that schools and district administrators may develop professional development programs on the integration of simulations into teaching.