Utilizing Internet Memes in Senior High School Biology to Improve Gen Z’s Academic Achievement, Attitude, and Self-efficacy

• Main Authors: Carlos, Alyanna Nicole, Delocado, Emmanuel D
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2024
• Subjects: biology education; cellular division; Generation Z learners; genetics; memes; pedagogical innovation; Education; Educational Technology; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/biology-faculty-pubs/176; https://archium.ateneo.edu/context/biology-faculty-pubs/article/1181/viewcontent/16_34.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Generation Z learners’ short attention span challenges educators to design engaging teaching methods that capture their interest. This quantitative study investigates the effect of memes, which are popular internet media, on non-STEM Gen Z high school students’ academic achievement, attitude, and self-efficacy in biology. Two groups of Grade 11 participants (n=243) were taught cellular division and genetics lessons through two different approaches. The results demonstrate that the experimental group which was taught using meme-infused materials had statistically significantly higher post-test scores (21.46 ± 4.41 out of 30; independent t-test = 0.00) than students who were taught with materials with no memes (17.74 ± 4.00). Additionally, administering the modified Attitude Towards Science Inventory (ATSI) reveals that there is a statistically significant positive overall attitude in sciences in the experimental group (Mann-Whitney U test p-value = 0.00). Also, there is a statistically significant Biology Self-Efficacy (BSE) score (p-value = 0.00) for the group with meme-infused materials. This was consistent across all three BSE dimensions, namely confidence in methods in biology, generalization and analyzing data, and application of biological concepts and skills. Analysis of the specific descriptors posit that memes assisted in managing students’ anxiety towards biology and boosted their confidence in their perceived capacity in the subject matter. This study contributes to the growing literature on possible pedagogical tools and strategies to cater to the new generation of learners.