Digital Instructional Strategies in Secondary School Science and Their Contribution to Foundational Scientific Literacy for Public Health Workforce Development in Rural South Africa
1
Mpumalanga department of education, Hlabangemehlo Secondary, Elukwatini, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Strengthening foundational scientific literacy in secondary schools is an important upstream strategy for public health education and workforce development, particularly in rural and under-resourced settings. Digital instructional strategies have the potential to enhance learner engagement and understanding in science, yet empirical evidence linking such approaches to scientific literacy outcomes relevant to public health remains limited in rural South Africa.
METHODS:
This quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study assessed the contribution of digital instructional strategies to foundational scientific literacy among Grade 10 learners in rural secondary schools in the Chief Albert Luthuli Sub-district, Mpumalanga Province. The sample comprised 351 learners, with intervention groups receiving computer simulations, instructional videos, or both during magnetism instruction, and control groups receiving traditional teaching. Achievement on a standardised magnetism test served as a proxy for scientific literacy. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA.
RESULTS:
Learners exposed to digital instructional strategies achieved significantly higher post-test scores (mean = 78.72, SD = 10.41) compared to those receiving traditional instruction (mean = 67.38, SD = 9.62). One-way ANOVA indicated a significant effect of instructional approach on learning outcomes (F = 16.64, p < 0.001), with large effect sizes observed for computer simulations and combined digital strategies. Achievement-level analysis showed that a greater proportion of learners in the digital instruction groups attained above-average scientific literacy compared to controls (93.2% vs. 85.2%).
CONCLUSIONS:
Digital instructional strategies in secondary school science significantly enhance foundational scientific literacy among learners in rural South African contexts. These findings highlight the role of digitally enriched science teaching as an upstream investment in public health education and a potential contributor to strengthening the future public health workforce pipeline.
Strengthening foundational scientific literacy in secondary schools is an important upstream strategy for public health education and workforce development, particularly in rural and under-resourced settings. Digital instructional strategies have the potential to enhance learner engagement and understanding in science, yet empirical evidence linking such approaches to scientific literacy outcomes relevant to public health remains limited in rural South Africa.
METHODS:
This quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study assessed the contribution of digital instructional strategies to foundational scientific literacy among Grade 10 learners in rural secondary schools in the Chief Albert Luthuli Sub-district, Mpumalanga Province. The sample comprised 351 learners, with intervention groups receiving computer simulations, instructional videos, or both during magnetism instruction, and control groups receiving traditional teaching. Achievement on a standardised magnetism test served as a proxy for scientific literacy. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA.
RESULTS:
Learners exposed to digital instructional strategies achieved significantly higher post-test scores (mean = 78.72, SD = 10.41) compared to those receiving traditional instruction (mean = 67.38, SD = 9.62). One-way ANOVA indicated a significant effect of instructional approach on learning outcomes (F = 16.64, p < 0.001), with large effect sizes observed for computer simulations and combined digital strategies. Achievement-level analysis showed that a greater proportion of learners in the digital instruction groups attained above-average scientific literacy compared to controls (93.2% vs. 85.2%).
CONCLUSIONS:
Digital instructional strategies in secondary school science significantly enhance foundational scientific literacy among learners in rural South African contexts. These findings highlight the role of digitally enriched science teaching as an upstream investment in public health education and a potential contributor to strengthening the future public health workforce pipeline.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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