Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction on the Academic Performance in Trigonometry among Male and Female Senior Secondary School Students in Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explored the effects of computer-assisted instruction on the academic performance in trigonometry among male and female senior secondary school students in Kogi State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research objectives, two research questions, and two null hypotheses tested at α=.05 level of significance. The researcher employed a pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design. The population of this study comprised 410 male students and 346 female students with a total of 744 SSSII students of coeducational government-owned schools in Kogi State, Nigeria. The sample size for this study was selected through a non-probability purposive sampling technique involving two groups, which were an experimental group (32 students) and a control group (35 students), with a total of 67 students sampled. This study used the Trigonometry Performance Test (TPT) instrument, which was validated, and the reliability of the instrument was determined using a test retest and the reliability coefficient was calculated using Pearson Product Moment Correlation to be 0.74. Descriptive mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions, and inferential statistics in the form of an independent t-test were used to test the null hypotheses. The result showed significant difference does not exist in the performance scores of male students (Mean = 22.33, SD = 3.79) and female students (Mean = 24.76, SD = 3.58) with t(30) = - 1.865, p = .072 in the exp group. The results showed a significant difference in students’ performance in the exp group (Mean =23.56, SD =3.78) and those in the control group (Mean =19.45, SD = 4.31) with t(65)=4.13, p<.001. It is recommended based on this finding that there should be equal access to CAI by both male and female students.