The instructional Guide for the interventions and Questionnaires for SPATIAL VISUALISATION ABILITY AND GENDER OF STUDENTS AS RELATED TO ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS
Description
This study investigated the relationship between spatial visualisation ability, gender, and students’ achievement in Physics within simulation-based instructional environments. Grounded in Spatial Cognition Theory and Cognitive Load Theory, the study examined how cognitive abilities and learner characteristics interact with technology-enhanced instructional strategies to influence academic performance in Physics. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was adopted using 204 pre-degree Physics students from six private universities in Southwestern Nigeria. Participants were grouped into Simulated Video-Based Inverted Classroom (SVBIC) (n = 83), Virtual Laboratory-Based Inverted Classroom (VLBIC) (n = 51), and Conventional Classroom (n = 70) groups. Data were collected using the Students’ Achievement Test in Physics (SATP) and Spatial Ability Test (SAT) over a thirteen-week intervention period. The study tested three hypotheses: whether spatial visualisation ability significantly affects students’ achievement in Physics, whether gender significantly affects achievement, and whether there is a significant interaction effect between spatial ability and gender on achievement. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyse the data while controlling for pretest differences. Findings revealed that spatial visualisation ability alone had no statistically significant main effect on students’ achievement in Physics, F(2,187) = 0.946, p = .390, partial η² = .010. Similarly, gender alone did not significantly influence achievement, F(1,187) = 3.212, p = .075, partial η² = .017. However, a statistically significant interaction effect was found between spatial ability and gender on students’ achievement in Physics, F(2,187) = 3.847, p = .023, partial η² = .040. Estimated Marginal Mean analysis showed that female students with low and medium spatial ability achieved higher posttest scores than their male counterparts, while male students with high spatial ability performed slightly better than females with high spatial ability. These findings suggest that simulation-based instructional environments provided supportive cognitive scaffolding that reduced traditional gender disparities associated with spatial tasks in STEM learning. The data indicate that spatial visualisation ability does not independently determine achievement in Physics; rather, its influence depends on interactions with gender and instructional context. The study demonstrates that simulation-based instructional strategies can support diverse learners by externalising complex spatial processes, thereby improving conceptual understanding and reducing barriers to learning. The dataset may be useful for researchers, educators, and curriculum developers interested in STEM education, spatial cognition, gender studies, and technology-enhanced learning interventions.
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Institutions
- Babcock UniversityOyo State, Ibadan