Effect of Mind-Mapping Teaching Strategy on Students’ Retention in Senior Secondary School Computer Studies in Imo state, Nigeria

Abstract

Effect of mind-mapping teaching strategy on secondary school students’ retention in computer studies in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State was determined. Three research questions guided the study while three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha levels. The design adopted for the study was the quasi-experimental involving non-equivalent control groups. The population comprised 1,052 senior secondary two (SS 2) Computer studies students found in the four co-educational schools within the study area in 2017/2018 academic session. The sample for the study consisted of 105 SS 2 students from four intact classes which were selected through multistage sampling procedure. Two classes each were assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected using researcher-made Computer Studies Retention Test (CSRT) which was validated by experts. The reliability coefficients obtained for the CSRT was 0.84 using Kuder Richardson Formula 20. The experimental group was taught using mind-mapping teaching strategy while the control group was taught with conventional method. The CSRT was administered to the participants as pre-test, post-test and retention tests and data collected were analysed using mean, standard and analysis of covariance. Findings revealed that mind-mapping strategy significantly enhanced retention in computer studies more than the conventional strategy. Gender was not a significant factor in determining students' retention computer studies using mind- mapping strategy. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that computer studies teachers should be trained on the use of mind-mapping during their training process and the in-serving computer studies teachers also re-trained.