The Impact of Computer Programming Instruction on Senior Secondary School Students Problem Solving Skills in Ado Local Government of Ekiti State

AbstractThis study examined the impact of computer programming instruction on secondary school students’ problem-solving skills in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised all secondary school students offering Computer Science in Ekiti State, while a sample of one hundred (100) students was selected from ten (10) senior secondary schools through simple and stratified random sampling techniques. A self-designed instrument titled Computer Programming and Problem-Solving Questionnaire (CPPSQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts in science education and its reliability was established through a test-retest method, which yielded a coefficient of 0.78. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that computer programming instruction has a significant impact on students’ problem-solving skills. The result of the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) test showed a strong positive relationship (r = 0.76, p < 0.05) between computer programming instruction and students’ problem-solving abilities. Based on these findings, it was recommended that schools should integrate programming instruction into the secondary school curriculum, provide adequate resources and teacher training, and adopt gender-inclusive strategies to enhance students’ engagement and problem-solving skills through programming.