EFFECT OF PROJECT-BASED INSTRUCTION (PBI) ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN COMPUTER STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AGBANI EDUCATION ZONE

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of project-based instruction (PBI) on the academic achievement of students in computer studies in secondary schools in Agbani education zone. The study adopted a quasi- experimental research design using pre-test and post-test. The population for the study consisted all three thousand seven hundred and twenty-one Senior Secondary School Two (3,721 SSII) students in all the 45 secondary schools in Agbani education zone, Enugu State with a sample size of one hundred and sixty (160) computer studies students (75 males and 85 females) obtained using multi-stage sampling technique. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The instrument for data collection was a Computer Achievement Test (CAT) developed by the researcher. The instrument is a multiple choice question-type, consisting of 50 items with options lettered A – E with each question allocated 2 marks of 0 and 100% minimum and maximum scores. The instruments were validated by three experts while the reliability was determined using Richardson formula K-R20, giving the reliability index of 0.77. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores. The pretest-posttest mean scores of each of the two groups were computed. Thereafter, the mean values of the students were computed to determine the effect of treatment and the effect of gender (male and female) on achievement of the students in the subject. The hypotheses formulated for the study were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings of the study revealed that students taught computer using PBI achieved higher than students taught using lecture method. Also, there is a significant difference (effect) between the mean achievement scores of students taught using PBI as compared with the lecture group. It was thereafter recommended that computer studies teachers should be trained when necessary on innovating teaching strategies like PBI for enhanced productivity in secondary schools in Agbani education zone of Enugu State. Appropriate authorities should visit secondary schools periodically for assessment of the competencies of teachers, especially in the use of PBI for enhanced students’ academic achievement.