Abstract

The efficacy of CAI in science process skills acquisition was investigated. Observing, classifying, communicating, comparing, inferring, interpreting data. using models, and experimenting were the skills involved. Four private secondary schools which have computers in Onitsha metropolis were used. In each school, two intact classes of SSII were used. One of these classes was randomly assigned to CAl and the other to conventional teaching method (CTМ) in each school. Students in the CAI group studied a "Progranmed Instruction in Science Process Skills" (PISPS) using computers. This programme contained eight lessons. Each student was allowed to interact with the computer individually throughout the treatment which lasted for four weeks. The CTM students were taught by their regular biology teachers during their weekly biology lesson periods. These students received no special treatment. The teachers used their normal teaching method (CTM) based on the lesson plans weeks. prepared by the researcher. Eight lessons were also taught the students for four At the end of this duration, a "science process skills test" (SPST) was administered to all the students. After analysing the data obtained. it was found that significantly (P

<.05) greater proportions of students taught with CAI showed acquisition of all the process skills than their counterparts taught with CTм. Thus, CAI is very effective in process skills acquisition.>