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The use of modular instruction is widespread in the modern world; however, the origin of the modular approach is still a subject of debate. Some believe it was originated in American universities, while some believe it was originated in the Canadian university a century ago. Irrespective of the place of its origin, modular education was primarily introduced to provide flexibility in learning and meet every student's individual learning needs at the higher education level. This paper is a review of the literature. For the present review paper, the reviewers included only those studies in India conducted to find out the effectiveness of the modular approach on the achievement and retention of the students as compared to other traditional and non-traditional methods of teaching at the school level and reviewed only those studies which were carried from 2000-2019.

1. To review studies for comparing the effectiveness of the Modular Approach with Traditional Methods of Instruction. 2. To review studies Comparing Effectiveness of Modular Approach with Non-Traditional Methods of Instruction 3. To review the studies concerning the Effectiveness of the Modular Approach on Students' Retention

Reviewers reviewed studies conducted from 2000-to 2019 in the schools of India related to the effect of the modular approach of teaching concerning the variables under a) Achievement and b) Retention. Thappa. S. (2018), Marimuthu, S (2017), Sekar ,V .(2016), Padmapriya (2015), Shivani (2014), Singh (2013), Saini (2004), Binumon, T. (2000), Ghakar .S. (2000), Sharma , N.K (2000) concluded that Modular approach is a better approach of teaching than the traditional methods of teaching in terms of students achievement/performances in different school subjects. When the comparison was made between the modular way of teaching and the non-traditional methods of teaching, Kaur. R& et al. (2017) reported that the constructivist approach is a better method of teaching social science to the students of grade ix than the modular approach. In this regard, Sharma, B. (2006) also concluded that computer-assisted instruction is also better than the Modular approach for improving grade XI students' performance in economics. Binumon T. (2000), in his study, found that the modular approach is better than Lecture-cum-Modular Approach in learning the topic of history at plus two levels. Lastly, Marimuthu S. (2017) concluded that Self Instructional Modules (SIM) are as good as Computer-assisted instruction for enhancing the performance of secondary students learning economics. Further, Dhamija R. (2014), Shivani (2014), and Saini (2004) found that students who learned through the Modular Approach retained more of what they had learned than the students who learned through traditional methods of teaching in the schools.

In this contemporary world, the Modular approach has become one of the common approaches to teaching and learning, frequently practiced by technical education, vocational education, and other formal educational institutions at different levels to improve the quality of learning outcomes. The use of modular instruction is widespread in the modern world; however, the origin of the modular approach is still a subject of debate. Some believe it was originated in American universities, while some believe it was originated in the Canadian university a century ago. Irrespective of its origin, modular education was primarily introduced to provide flexibility in learning and meet every student's individual learning needs at the higher education level. From its inception to this point in time, its definitions have been varied. According to the most common or traditional point of view, 'A module can be described as an independent educational unit of limited scope provided with a series of educational and learning activities, which led to a well-described final level."(Van Eijl, 1987, as cited in Dochy ,1989) .
 For this review, the modular approach is defined as the method of teaching and learning using modules developed by the researchers /investigators for experimentation at the school level. The researcher included only those studies in India conducted to determine the effectiveness of the modular approach on the achievement and retention of the students compared to other traditional and non-traditional methods at the school level and reviewed only those studies carried out from 2000-to 2019.
Studies Comparing Effectiveness of Modular Approach with Traditional Methods of Instruction
As shown in figure 1, when Modular Approach of teaching was compared with the traditional approaches of teaching in terms of its effectiveness, all the 10 studies showed that the modular approach / modular instruction / self instructional modules students achieved more than the Non –modular approach students.

Name/Year	Title of the Study	Subject	Grade Level	Results
Thappa. S (2018),	Development and Standardization of self instructional modules for inculcation of peace values among Secondary school students of Jammu Province	peace values	ix	+
Marimuthu, S (2017)	Effectiveness of computer assisted instruction CAI and self instructional modules SIM for enhancing performance of higher secondary students in Economics	economics	xi	+
Sekar ,V .(2016),	Effectiveness of multimedia based modular instructional strategy in overcoming academic deficiency of perfectionist students in learning	Maths	xi	+
Padmapriya (2015),	Effectiveness of Modular Teaching in Biology at Secondary Level	Biology	IX	+
Shivani (2014),	Diagnosis of difficulties in mathematics and their remediation through modular instructional strategy of IX class students of Haryana	Maths	IX	+
Singh (2013),	effect of modular teaching method on democratic values of Grade VIII students	Democratic values (social science)	viii	+
Saini (2004	efficacy of modular instructional strategy of teaching English in relation to achievement motivation and cognitive style of secondary school students	English grammar	ix	+
Binumon, T. (2000)	Effectiveness of Three Approaches of teaching, Modular approach, Lecture Cum-modular and Conventional Lecture in learning the topic history at plus two level	History	XII	+
Ghakar .S (2000),	Modular approach to science curriculum and its effectiveness in value orientation of ninth grade students	science	IX	+
Sharma , N.K (2000)	Modular approach to science curriculum and its effectiveness in value orientation of ninth grade students	science	ix	+

Note*: ‘+’ indicates that students taught through modular approach performed better than the students taught through traditional approach.

Figure 1: Studies that Compared the Effectiveness of Modular Approach with Traditional Methods of Instruction
Studies Comparing Effectiveness of Modular Approach with Non Traditional Methods of Instruction
Figure 2 shows a total of 4 studies which compared the effectiveness of modular approach with non traditional /modern methods of teaching. Modular Approach has been found to be equally effective with CAI in the study carried out by Marimuthu, 2017. Both Kaur(2017) and Sharma(2006) found Modular Approach of teaching to be less effective than modern methods of teaching that is Computer assisted instruction and constructivist approach of teaching among the school students. 

 

Name/year	Title of the study	Non-traditional approach	subject	Grade level	Results
Kaur.R& et.al (2017)	Effect of self-learning modules and constructivist approach on academic performance of secondary school students: A comparative study	Constructivist approach	Social science	IX	-
Marimuthu, S (2017)	), Effectiveness of computer assisted instruction CAI and self instructional modules SIM for enhancing performance of higher secondary students in Economics	CAI	Economics	XI	=
Reeta & Singaravelu(2015)	Effectiveness of Traditional Method, Computer Assisted Instruction and Computerized Self Learning Material in Learning of Geography at Secondary Level	CAI	Geography	vi	-
Sharma ,B(2006)	Effect of computer assisted instruction and self learning modules on achievement in economics as related to cognitive style at the secondary stage	Computer assisted instruction	economics	XI	-
Binumon, T. (2000)	Effectiveness of Three Approaches of teaching, Modular approach, Lecture Cum-modular and Conventional Lecture in learning the topic history at plus two level	Lecture –cum-modular approach	History	xii	+

Note*: ‘+’ indicates that students taught through modular approach performed better than the students taught through traditional approach. ‘-‘indicates students did less well while ‘=” indicates student’s same level of achievement.

Figure 2: Studies that Compared the Effectiveness of Modular Approach With Non Traditional Methods Of Instruction

Effectiveness of Modular Approach on Students’ Retention

It is a long known fact that when students learn through rote memorization method they tend to forget information/knowledge quickly.  A new research in the field of neuroscience stated that brains are wired to forget; hence it is important to adopt strategies which may help to retain knowledge and to make learning stick for a much longer period of time (as cited in Terada, 2017). When the effectiveness of modular approach was judged on the basis of students’ retention capacity, three studies showed that students who learnt through Modular Approach retained more of what they had learned than the students who learned through traditional methods of teaching in the schools.

Name/Year	Title of the Study	Subject	Grade Level	Results
Dhamija, R. (2014)	Effectiveness of Self-learning Modules on the Achievement of Elementary School Students in the Acquisition of Concepts in English Grammar.	English	viii	+
Shivani (2014)	Diagnosis of difficulties in mathematics and their remediation through modular instructional strategy of IX class students of Haryana	Maths	Ix	+
Saini (2004),	Efficacy of modular instructional strategy of teaching English in relation to achievement motivation and cognitive style of secondary school students	English	Ix	+

Reviewers reviewed studies conducted from 2000-to 2019 in the schools of India related to the effect of the modular approach of teaching concerning the variables under a) Achievement and b) Retention. Thappa. S. (2018), Marimuthu, S (2017), Sekar ,V .(2016), Padmapriya (2015), Shivani (2014), Singh (2013), Saini (2004), Binumon, T. (2000), Ghakar .S. (2000), Sharma , N.K (2000) concluded that Modular approach is a better approach of teaching than the traditional methods of teaching in terms of students achievement/performances in different school subjects. When the comparison was made between the modular way of teaching and the non-traditional methods of teaching, Kaur. R& et al. (2017) reported that the constructivist approach is a better method of teaching social science to the students of grade ix than the modular approach. In this regard, Sharma, B. (2006) also concluded that computer-assisted instruction is also better than the Modular approach for improving grade XI students' performance in economics. Binumon T. (2000), in his study, found that the modular approach is better than Lecture-cum-Modular Approach in learning the topic of history at plus two levels. Lastly, Marimuthu S. (2017) concluded that Self Instructional Modules (SIM) are as good as Computer-assisted instruction for enhancing the performance of secondary students learning economics. Further, Dhamija R. (2014), Shivani (2014), and Saini (2004) found that students who learned through the Modular Approach retained more of what they had learned than the students who learned through traditional methods of teaching in the schools.

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