EFFECTS OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ RETENTION AND ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ABAK LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This research investigated the effects of Computer Assisted Strategy on Student's Retention and achievement in Biology in Secondary Schools in Abak Local Government Area Akwa Ibom State. To achieve the purpose of this research work, four (4) research questions and four hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted quasi experimental pre-test and post-test control group design. The population of the study consisted of three thousand two hundred (3,200) senior secondary school two (SS2) students in Abak Local Government Area. A sample size of One hundred (100) senior secondary school two (SS2) students were drawn from two intact classrooms of the two public schools used for the study using a random sampling technique. A 20 item multiple choice objective questions tagged Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was used as the instrument were subjected to two expertise lecturers in science education department to ensure content validity. The instrument was trial tested using 20 students that were not part of the sample size. The reliability of the Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was done using Kuda-Richardson 20 (k-20) formula and a reliability coefficient was obtained. The data collected for the study were analysed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test statistics to answer the research question and independent t-test to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level significance. The result of the finding revealed that there is a statistical difference in the mean achievement and retention scores of the biology students when exposed to the concept of pollination using computer assisted strategy. The findings also revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean achievement and retention scores of male and female students in Biology when exposed to the concept of pollination using computer assisted strategy. It was concluded that the use of computer assisted strategy improved the achievement and retention in students compared to those taught using conventional method. It was therefore recommended among others that Biology teachers should be encouraged to incorporate the use of computer-assisted strategy in teaching as this will help students learn independently as well as share ideas among themselves for better performance.