Abstract:
This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a Computer Aided Instructional package (CAI) in improving the academic achievement and knowledge retention of biology students in senior secondary schools within the Minna metropolis. Four research questions were formulated and subsequently tested through four null hypotheses. The study employed a pre-test-posttest=control group design, selecting a sample of one hundred and twenty (120) students from two intact mixed-gender classes in senior secondary two (SS II).
The researcher developed a computer-assisted instructional package (CAI) focused on the topic of mitosis, which served as the treatment for the experimental group. The control group, on the other hand, received traditional lecture-based instruction (CLM). Data was collected using a teacher-made biology achievement test (TMAT), comprising a 20-item multiple-choice objective type test covering four phases of mitosis. The reliability coefficient, determined using Kuder-Richardson (K-R 21), was found to be 0.89. The hypotheses were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA).
The results indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group in terms of academic achievement. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the performance between male and female students. In terms of knowledge retention, the experimental group exhibited superior retention compared to the control group, and once again, there was no significant difference in retention between male and female students in the experimental group.
Based on these findings, it is recommended that educators be exposed to the development and utilization of CAI. Workshops, seminars, and symposia on CAI should be organized to support teachers in delivering lessons through CAI packages, thereby enhancing the overall learning experience for students.
EVALUATING CAI’S IMPACT ON BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN MINNA, NIGER STATE. GET MORE, ACTUARIAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS
