A Virtual Learning System’s Impact on Student Achievement in a Secondary Biology College Preparatory Course; An Action Research Study

The purpose of this action research study was to describe the effectiveness of a virtual learning system (VLS) on college preparatory biology students’ pre- and posttest scores. Data were gathered from observations of students using the VLS for video lectures, practice tests, reviewing, and other online simulations in the spring of 2017. Data were also collected using a pretest and a posttest designed by the participant-researcher before and after the implementation of the VLS. A t test was used to analyze the pre- and posttest quantitative data, and the constant comparative method was used to analyze the qualitative data from the formative assessments. Findings included the following themes: cultivating habits of student self-monitoring, developing student decision making, and improved equity and access to higher level science courses. The results of the present action research study were used to develop an action plan to enable other science educators at White Hall High School to make informed decisions regarding the implementation of a VLS in their classrooms to enhance student learning