EFFECT OF USING COMPUTER AS TUTOR AND TOOL ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN QUADRATIC EQUATION IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study compared the effect of using computer as tutor and as tool on students’ achievement and retention in Quadratic Equation. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the mode of computer usage that is more effective in enhancing students’ achievement and retention in quadratic equation. This study was carried out in Nsukka Education zone of Enugu State. Nsukka Local Government Area was purposively chosen because of the availability of computers in schools. A sample of two hundred and seventy one (271) SSII students was involved in the study. The design of this study was quasi-experimental research design as there was no randomization of subjects into classes. Intact classes were used. Six research questions and eight research hypotheses guided the study. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. Results from the study revealed that students who were taught quadratic equation with computer achieved and retained higher than those taught without computer. Also students who were taught quadratic equation with computer as tool achieved and retained higher than those taught with computer as tutor. The study equally revealed no significant difference in the mean achievement and retention scores of male and female students. Some of the recommendations made include; that teachers should pay more attention to using computer as tool instead of using it as tutor for effective teaching and learning of mathematics.