Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) on Students' Achievement in Secondary School Physics in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State

Abstract

This research investigated the effects of Computer-Assisted Instructions (CAI), a learner-centred and activity-based method of teaching/learning, on achievement in Physics of Nigerian secondary school students. The research design used was the Solomon Four-group. Eighty (80) SSS III students in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria were tested on the concepts of space, time and motion using a developed 25-item Physics Achievement Test (PAT) whose reliability was 0.72. The formulated hypotheses were tested using the pooled variance formula of the student t-test statistics. The analyses revealed that students taught with CAI achieved higher (mean of 68.25) than those exposed to the conventional lecture method (mean of 47.85). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the mean physics achievement scores of male (68.90) and female (67.60) students treated with CAI. Based on the findings, recommendations were made. These include, among others, the provision of well- equipped CAI laboratories in every Nigerian secondary school for effective teaching/learning of Physics