IMPACT OF COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION (CAI) ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MAIDUGURI METROPOLIS, BORNO STATE

This study investigated the impact of Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) on the performance of secondary school students in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. The main aim of the study was to determine whether the use of CAI as an instructional strategy could significantly improve students’ academic achievement, motivation, and retention when compared to the traditional method of teaching. The study also examined the influence of gender on students’ performance and identified the major challenges affecting the effective use of CAI in secondary schools. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all senior secondary school students in Maiduguri Metropolis, while a total of 60 students were purposively selected and divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was taught using Computer-Assisted Instruction, while the control group was taught using the conventional lecture method. Two research instruments — the Computer Studies Achievement Test (CSAT) and a structured questionnaire — were used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and independent t-test at 0.05 level of significance.The findings of the study revealed that students taught with Computer-Assisted Instruction performed significantly better than those taught using the conventional method. The study also found that CAI enhanced students’ interest, motivation, and retention of learning materials. Furthermore, the result showed that gender had no significant effect on students’ performance, indicating that both male and female students benefited equally from CAI. However, the study identified challenges such as inadequate computer facilities, irregular power supply, insufficient teacher training, and limited access to instructional software as factors hindering the effective implementation of CAI.The study concluded that Computer-Assisted Instruction is an effective and innovative teaching method that improves students’ academic performance, promotes active learning, and fosters knowledge retention. It was recommended that schools and educational authorities should provide adequate computer facilities, train teachers in the use of CAI, and integrate technology-based instruction into the secondary school curriculum to enhance quality education in Maiduguri and Nigeria as a whole.