EFFECTS OF COMPUTER ANIMATION PACKAGE ON SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS’ RETENTION IN BIOLOGY IN JOS-NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of computer animation package on senior secondary two students’ retention in Biology in Jos North LGA, Plateau State. The study was guided by two objectives; two research questions and two hypotheses. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, specifically the pre-test post-test non-equivalent control- group design. The population of the study consisted of all 730 SS 2 students (371   males and 359 females) who were offering Biology in the 22 public senior secondary schools in Jos North LGA, Plateau State in the 2024/2025 academic session. A sample of 52 students (21 males and 31 females) drawn from two intact classes from two schools selected from the 22 public senior secondary schools in Jos North Using simple random sampling technique participated in the study. Data were collected using Biology Retention Test (BRT). It consisted of 40 multiple choice questions with options A-D adapted from West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination and JAMB past question papers. The maximum marks obtainable was 100, while the minimum obtainable marks were 0. Three experts validated the instrument. The reliability of the BAT was established using Kuder-Richardson 20 (K-R20) method which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.93. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested using inferential statistic of independent sample t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that a statistically significant difference exists between the retention mean scores of the students in the experimental group and students in the control group. The students in the experimental group had a higher retention mean scores than the students in control group. The findings further revealed that no significant difference exists between the retention mean scores of male and female students in Biology in the experimental group. The male and female students in the experimental group had similar retention mean scores. Hence, the use of computer animation package in teaching Biology does improved students’ retention in the subject irrespective of gender. It was recommended among others that Biology teachers should employ more computer mediated teaching techniques in the teaching of topics that are abstract and complex. It was recommended that the Federal and state governments, school authorities should provide the basic information technology tools such as computers, storage devices and projectors required by Biology and other Science teachers for preparing and teaching their lessons using computer animation packages.