Advisers

Michael L. Bersamin, LPT

Discipline

Education

Abstract

This study explored the utilization of video lessons as an instructional tool in teaching World War II among selected Grade 8 students at Llano High School during the school year 2025–2026. Recognizing that traditional lecture-based instruction often fails to capture students’ interest in history, the research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of video-based instruction in enhancing engagement, knowledge retention, and critical thinking skills. It also sought to identify the challenges encountered by learners when video lessons are used in the classroom. A true experimental design was employed, with 200 Grade 8 students selected through cluster sampling as respondents. Data were gathered through a 30-item pretest and posttest covering “Before, During, and After World War II,” alongside a validated survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, weighted mean, standard deviation, and t-test to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Most respondents were aged 12–14 years (82%); 54% were female and 46% male. Academic grades most commonly fell within 86–90 (45%), followed by 91–95 (21.5%). The mean score increased from 12.48 (SD = 4.46) on the pretest to 16.13 (SD = 5.67) on the posttest. A t-test indicated a significant difference (t = 9.49, p < .00001). Students rated engagement at 3.51, knowledge retention at 3.55, and critical thinking at 3.61, all interpreted as “very satisfied.” Individual ratings included lesson engagement (3.62), retention of dates and figures (3.64), and analysis of causes and consequences (3.67). Reported challenges included distractions (28 respondents), difficulty sustaining focus (25), and connectivity problems (18). The higher posttest scores and favorable survey ratings suggest that video lessons supported learning about World War II. Classroom management and reliable technology are needed to reduce distraction and connectivity problems.

Keywords

grade 8 students, multimedia learning, video lessons, world war ii, social studies education