Effects of Computer-Based Instruction and Reciprocal Peer Tutoring on Secondary School Students Achievement in Agricultural Science in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of computer-assisted instruction and reciprocal peer tutoring on secondary school students’ achievement in Agricultural Science in Rivers State. A quasi-experimental design was adopted to carry out the study. The sample was 154 SS II students of Agricultural Science in the three randomly sampled public secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State. The three secondary schools used in the study are GSSS Rumuokwuta, CSS Rumuepirikom, and GGSS Rumueme. 
The instrument for data collection was 50 items multiple-choice Agricultural Science Achievement Test (ASAT) which was validated by three experts. The reliability of the ASAT instrument was ascertained using Kuder Richardson 21 (K-R21) which yielded a coefficient of 0.81. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions while the hypotheses were tested with Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05-level of significance. The result of the study showed that computer-assisted instruction and reciprocal peer tutoring techniques significantly increased the academic achievement of SS II students of Agricultural Science than the lecture method. The result of the study also showed that the gender of the students did not affect their achievement based on the teaching techniques used. Based on the findings, the study among others recommended that teachers should be trained in Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) and Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT) techniques for effective teaching and learning and 
school administrators should facilitate the use of CAI and RPT techniques for instructional delivery.