Article Details

This study investigated the effect of computer-aided instruction (CAI) on senior secondary school students’ achievement in atomic theory in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. The persistent poor performance of students in atomic theory, a highly abstract topic in chemistry, has been a major concern for educators. The study determined whether CAI could improve students’ academic achievement compared to conventional teaching methods. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted. The population comprised 1,850 senior secondary school students (615 females and 1,235 males) in Minna during the 2024/2025 academic session. A sample of 155 students was selected using simple random sampling. The Atomic Theory Achievement Test (ATAT) served as the data-collection instrument. The reliability coefficient of the ATAT, determined using the Kuder-Richardson 21 (K-R 21) formula, was 0.86. Four research questions and four null hypotheses, tested at the 0.05 level of significance, guided the study. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings revealed that students taught with computer-aided instruction achieved significantly higher in atomic theory than those taught using conventional methods. No significant gender difference in achievement was observed among students exposed to CAI, indicating that the instructional approach was equally effective for both male and female students. The study concludes that computer-aided instruction is an effective strategy for teaching Atomic Theory in chemistry. It recommends integrating CAI into chemistry instruction, providing adequate teacher training on CAI tools and simulations, and investing in secondary school technological infrastructure to enhance learning outcomes.