BRIDGING THE LABORATORY GAP THROUGH VIDEO-BASED INSTRUCTION FOR IMPROVED CHEMISTRY LEARNING IN RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED SCHOOLS

Abstract

In resource-constrained educational environments, science educators often face significant barriers to effectively delivering laboratory-based instruction. This study investigates the impact of video-based instructions (VBIs) on secondary school students’ academic achievement in chemistry and explores Rwandan science teachers’ beliefs, usage patterns, and the challenges encountered when implementing VBIs. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model and Cognitive Information Processing Theory, a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining survey responses from teachers with quasi-experimental data from chemistry achievement tests. Results revealed that VBIs not only enhanced students’ conceptual understanding of complex chemistry content but also significantly improved academic performance, with the experimental group showing a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.25). Despite enthusiasm toward VBIs, issues such as digital inequality and teacher preparedness remain pressing. This study highlights VBIs as a scalable, pedagogically robust alternative to traditional laboratory teaching in under-resourced contexts, contributing novel empirical evidence to global efforts toward digitally enhanced STEM education.