Leveraging the Capabilities of Digital Storytelling to Improve Students’ Achievement in Map Reading in the South-West Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the use of digital storytelling to improve students’ achievement in map reading in Ibadan metropolis, south-west Nigeria. A digital storytelling package was developed and deployed in two modes: group-based and individual-based. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design. Three public secondary schools with senior school geography students, functional computers, and electricity were purposively selected within Ibadan metropolis to participate in the study. Participants (242) were assigned to group-based digital storytelling, individual-based digital storytelling (138), and control (126) groups. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks. Treatment had significant main effects on students’ achievement in map reading (F (2, 487) =131.27; partial η2=0.35). Students in group-based digital storytelling had the highest adjusted post-achievement mean score (18.45), followed by individual-based digital storytelling (17.20) and control (7.65) groups. Therefore, it can be recommended that geography teachers should adopt this package to teach map reading, especially at the secondary school level of education to ensure a seamless connection between map reading activities and geographical landforms in students’ immediate environments.