Effect of computer-simulated experiment on senior secondary school students' anxiety level and performance in practical physics in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study provided information on how anxiety in learners could be managed using appropriate instructional strategy. It adopted a pre-test – post-test, control group quasi-experimental design. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 264 SS II students from three secondary schools in Imo State. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment groups: Computer-Simulated Experiment (CSE), Computer-Simulated and Hands-on Experiment (CSHE) and Conventional Hands-on Experiment (CHE). The instruments used to collect data were; Physics Achievement Test (r = 0.84), Physics Anxiety Questionnaire Scale (r = 0.95), Numerical Reasoning Ability Test (r = 90) and Perceptual Reasoning Ability Test (r =0.91). Physics Practical Test (r = 0. 84). Three null hypotheses were tested at 0.0 level of significance. Data was analyzed using MANCOVA. Treatment had significance effect on achievement and anxiety ( = 0.99, F = 3.72, P (4,524) 2 < .05, ? = 0.028). Numerical ability had significant effect on performance ( = 0.93, F = 2.51, P (8,524) 2 < .05, ? = 0.027). Treatment had interaction effect of numerical and perceptual reasoning ability ( = 2 0.93, F = 2.51, P < .05, ? = 0.037). Anxiety in learners could be managed with appropriate (8,524) instructional method.