A Comparative Study on the Effectiveness of Traditional and Computer-Assisted Instruction Methods in Determining Students’ Achievement on Graph Plotting

Abstract

The study aimed at examining the effectiveness of traditional and computer-assisted instruction methods in determining students’ achievement on graph plotting in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed and 140 students randomly chosen from the senior secondary schools in the LGA made up the study sample. The chosen students were split into two groups of 70 students each using stratified sampling. The first group served as the experimental group while the second group the control group, were taught graph plotting using computer-assisted instruction and traditional instruction methods respectively. The study took five weeks, and a null and alternative hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. The Teacher Made Test (TMT) on graph plotting was developed as the instrument of the study to assess students’ achievement on graph plotting within the two groups. A reliability of 0.8 was yielded for the instrument using Richard Kuderson-21. The data obtained from the instrument was treated with t-test of independence at p ≤0.05 level of significance, and the results showed that students who received computer-assisted instruction had significantly higher improvement in their mean test scores. The study thus fills a research gap that informs the improvement of the method employed in teaching graph plotting, thereby enhancing students’ performance in secondary school science education. The research recommends the incorporation of computer-assisted instructions in the pedagogy of graph plotting in the science education of secondary school students across Delta State, Nigeria.