Gender difference in secondary school students’ retention in algebra: A computer simulation approach

Abstract

This research examined how well learners retained algebra concepts after using a computer simulation program. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A quasiexperimental design was employed. The population consisted of 2,152 junior secondary school two (JSS 2) students from the Udenu Local Government Area in Enugu State. 115 students from two co-educational schools were the study’s sample. Each school had two streams of JSS 2 classrooms, with the experimental and control groups being randomly assigned. The algebra achievement test, which has a reliability score of 0.88, was used to gather the data for this study. The statistical package for social sciences software was used to analyze the collected data. According to the data, students taught algebra using computer simulation had considerably higher average retention scores compared to learners taught utilizing the traditional method. The data revealed furthermore that, a significant gender difference occurred in the mean retention scores of students taught algebra concepts utilizing computer simulation.