A QR-Code-Based Mobile Learning System for Science Instruction in Resource-Limited Schools

This study developed and evaluated a QR-Code-Based Mobile Learning System for Science Instruction in Resource-Limited Schools. The system was designed to provide junior high school students with low-cost, mobile-accessible science learning materials through printed QR Code Cards linked to a mobile-responsive digital repository. The developed module set consisted of six curriculum-aligned Life Science topics: Cell: The Basic Unit of Life, Cell Theory, Cell Structure and Functions, Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells, Cell Types and Cell Modifications, and Cell Cycle. A developmental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive-evaluative research design was employed. The participants were 80 Grade 9 and Grade 10 students divided into an experimental group using the QR-code-based mobile learning system and a control group using traditional printed flashcards. Results showed that students had moderate overall familiarity with QR codes (M = 3.52), highly positive attitudes toward the system (M = 4.45), and high usability ratings (M = 4.38). The QR Code Cards also received very high ratings in terms of portability, durability, readability, and sustainability (M = 4.50). Critically, the experimental group obtained a post-test mean score of 89.15 compared with the control group's mean score of 78.42, yielding a statistically significant difference (t = 6.24, p = .002, Cohen's d = 2.49, 95% CI [7.17, 14.29]), indicating that the QR-code-based mobile learning system significantly improved science achievement by a mean margin of 10.73 points. The findings suggest that QR-code-supported mobile learning can serve as a practical, scalable, and cost-effective instructional innovation for improving science instruction in resource-limited school settings.

@article{Selga2026,
  title     = {A QR-Code-Based Mobile Learning System for Science Instruction in Resource-Limited Schools},
  journal   = {International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications},
  volume    = {17},
  number    = {6},
  year      = {2026},
  publisher = {The Science and Information Organization},
  author    = {Gina B. Selga},
  doi       = {10.14569/IJACSA.2026.0170615},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2026.0170615}
}