EFFECTS OF WHATSAPP LEARNING PLATFORM ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BIOLOGY EDUCATION UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES IN EKITI STATE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61667/gdqsvs14Keywords:
Whatsapp Learning Platform, Academic Performance, Lecturers, University Undergraduates, and Biology EducationAbstract
This study examined the effects of whatsapp learning platform on academic performance of Biology education University undergraduates in Ekiti State. The population consisted of 1,219 undergraduates studying Biology Education in the two public University in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study sample consisted of 200 undergraduate students at the 200 level with purposive sampling technique. One research instrument tagged Biology Performance Test (BPT) was used to collect data on performance of undergraduates in biology. It consisted of 30 single-answer questions drawn from the course outline for Introductory Developmental and Cell Biology (BIO 205). The instrument comprised two sections: Section A captured the personal data of the respondents, while Section B consisted of 30 items. Correct option attracted 1mark and wrong option attracted zero mark. The validity of the instruments was ensured through expert review which was subjected to face and content validity checks. The reliability of the instrument was determined through pilot testing. It was administered to a group of students with similar characteristics to the study sample, but who were not part of the main study. The test- retest method was used to establish its stability over time, and a reliability coefficient of 0.82 was obtained, confirming its consistency in measuring students' performance in biology. The data collected analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The research question was answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Hypotheses 1-2 were tested using t-test analysis. The two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant. The finding showed that there was no difference in the performance of students in the two groups before the treatment which means that both groups were homogeneous. The findings of this study also showed that undergraduates taught using the WhatsApp Learning Platform performed significantly better in Biology than those taught using the Conventional Method in Biology. It was therefore recommended Lecturers should consider incorporating the WhatsApp Learning Platform as a supplementary tool in teaching Biology to enhance student engagement and performance. Universities should provide training for lecturers on the effective use of digital platforms like WhatsApp to improve instructional delivery and students’ performance.
References
Crompton, H., & Burke, D. (2018). The use of mobile learning in higher education: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 123, 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.04.007
Huang, C. (2018). Social network site use and academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Computers & Education, 119, 76–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.12.010
Kuş, M. (2025). A meta-analysis of the impact of technology related factors on students’ academic performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1524645. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1524645
Lakens, D. (2013). Calculating and reporting effect sizes to facilitate cumulative science: A practical primer for t-tests and ANOVAs. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 863. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00863
Lee, C. E., Chern, H. H., & Azmir, D. A. (2023). WhatsApp use in a higher education learning environment: Perspective of students of a Malaysian private university on academic performance and team effectiveness. Education Sciences, 13(3), 244. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030244
Liu, D., Kirschner, P. A., & Karpinski, A. C. (2017). A meta-analysis of the relationship of academic performance and Social Network Site use among adolescents and young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 77, 148–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.08.039
Mulyono, H., Suryoputro, G., & Jamil, S. R. (2021). The application of WhatsApp to support online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Heliyon, 7(8), e07853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07853
Odunuga, O. O. A., Badero, D. T., Okonkwo, C. J. O., & Ejikeme, C. E. (2026). Assessing the impact of using instant group messenger as classroom extension for teaching and learning Biology. Nigerian Online Journal of Educational Sciences and Technology, 8(1), 102–108. Okai-Ugbaje, S., Ardzejewska, K., & Imran, A. (2022). A mobile learning framework for higher education in resource constrained environments. Education and Information Technologies, 27, 11947–11969. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11094-5
Okoli, J. N., & Ukala, G. (2025). Relative effectiveness of Google classroom and WhatsApp in enhancing biology interest among Nigerian university students. Inornatus: Biology Education Journal, 5(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.30862/inornatus.v5i1.731
Pimmer, C., Brühlmann, F., Odetola, T. D., Dipeolu, O., Oluwasola, O., Jäger, J., & Ajuwon, A. J. (2021). WhatsApp for mobile learning: Effects on knowledge, resilience and isolation in the school-to-work transition. The Internet and Higher Education, 50, 100809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2021.100809
So, S. W. W. (2016). Mobile instant messaging support for teaching and learning in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 31, 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2016.06.001
Sophonhiranrak, S. (2021). Features, barriers, and influencing factors of mobile learning in higher education: A systematic review. Heliyon, 7(4), e06696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06696
Sung, Y.-T., Chang, K.-E., & Liu, T.-C. (2016). The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students’ learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis. Computers & Education, 94, 252–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.008
Ukala, G., & Okoli, N. J. (2025). Relative effectiveness of Google Classroom and WhatsApp instructions on students’ engagement in Basic Biology in universities in South-East, Nigeria. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(3), 38–49. https://doi.org/10.22452/mojes.vol13no3.3
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Global Synthesis in Education Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
