COMPARISON OF COMPUTER ASSISTED MULTIMEDIA INSTRUCTION AND CONCEPT MAPPING ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION IN ECOLOGY IN SOKOTO, KEBBI AND ZAMFARA STATES, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Abstract This study Compared the effectiveness of Computer Assisted Multimedia Instruction and Concept Mapping on secondary school students’ academic performance and retention of Ecology in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Nigeria. Eight research questions and hypotheses were answered and tested respectively. The study adopted quasi-experimental design involving two experimental groups and one control group. The experimental group I was taught using the Computer Assisted Multimedia Instruction package. The experimental group II was taught using Concept Mapping learning strategy. The control group was taught using the Lecture method. The population for this study consists of 5331 SS 2 Biology students from 27 Science Secondary Schools in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States. The sampling procedures used in this study are purposive and simple random sampling techniques. A total of 421 students were selected from nine secondary schools in the three states (3 schools from each state). The instrument used for data collection was Ecology Performance Test (alternatives A and B). Alternative A was used for Pretest and Posttest while alternative B was used for Post-posttest. A reliability coefficient of 0.726 and 0.712 were obtained for alternatives A and B respectively after a pilot study in two schools. The statistical tools used for data analyses in this research includes Mean and Standard Deviations, independent t-test and ANOVA. The findings revealed among others that Senior Secondary School Students taught ecology using Computer Assisted Multimedia Instruction performed significantly better than those taught with Concept Mapping and Lecture method, while those Senior Secondary School Students taught ecology using Concept Mapping Instruction performed significantly better than those taught with Lecture method. The study recommends among others that Biology teachers should incorporate Computer Assisted Multimedia Instruction and Concept Mapping alongside the Lecture method in teaching ecological concepts.