Effects of Computer-Mediated Instructional Strategy on Students’ Achievement and Retention in Biology in Senior Secondary Schools

Abstract

Persistent low achievement and weak retention in Biology among Nigerian senior secondary school students remain a critical educational concern. This study investigated the effects of Computer-Mediated Instructional Strategy (CMIS) on students’ achievement and retention in Biology in public senior secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, with gender as a moderating variable. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest–posttest control group design was adopted. A total of 110 Senior Secondary School II (SS II) students participated in the study. Data were collected using the Multiple-Choice Biology Achievement Test (MCBAT) and the Multiple-Choice Biology Retention Test (MCBRT). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that students taught using CMIS achieved significantly higher scores and demonstrated better retention than those taught using the conventional teaching method. Gender had no significant effect on students’ achievement or retention when CMIS was used. The study concludes that CMIS is an effective and gender-friendly instructional strategy for improving achievement and retention in Biology.