EFFECTS OF COMPUTER-BASED CONCEPT MAPPING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ON PERFORMANCE OF PHYSICS STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract

This study examined the effects of computer-based concept mapping strategies on the performance of physics students in secondary schools in Kaduna state. The study was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. The study employed quasi-experimental research design using hierarchical and spider concepts mapping. The population of the study was 3683 SSII physic students drawn from 50 Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna metropolis. A sample of 110 SSII Physics students was purposefully used for the study. The instrument used in the study were: researcher adapted Physics Performance Test, Computer-Based Concept Mapping Instructional Packages and Computer Assisted Instruction Package. Face and content validation were adjudged to the instrument and a reliability coefficient of 0.86 using Kuder-Richardson 20 was obtained Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the three research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the three null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that students taught physics with computer-based concept mapping strategies have almost the same level of performance with those taught using computer-assisted instruction and gender has no significant effect on the academic performance of students. It is recommended that Governments and Non-governmental organization should assist in providing functional computers and ICT infrastructure to schools and there should be computer literacy skills for secondary school students.