EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION ON ENGLISH ESSAY WRITING PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BOMET COUNTY, KENYA

This study examines the impact of students’ attitudes toward computer-Assisted instruction (CAI), utilizing tutorial videos to teach grammar, coherence, and mechanics, on their English essay writing performance in public secondary schools in Bomet, Kenya. The main objective is to assess how students’ perceptions of CAI influence their essay writing proficiency, focusing on essay structure, clarity, and technical accuracy. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 300 Form Three students from 10 public secondary schools, selected through stratified random sampling to represent both urban and rural contexts. The intervention group received CAI through tutorial videos, while the control group followed traditional instruction. Students’ attitudes toward CAI were measured using a validated questionnaire, and their essay writing performance was evaluated through a standardized rubric assessing grammar, coherence, and mechanics. Quantitative data were analyzed using regression analysis and Hayes Process Macro v4.1 to explore the relationship between attitudes and writing outcomes, as well as potential mediating factors such as technological access and teacher support. Qualitative data from student interviews complemented the findings, providing insights into perceptions of CAI’s effectiveness. The study aims to determine whether positive attitudes toward CAI correlate with enhanced essay writing skills and to identify barriers, such as limited technological infrastructure or low digital literacy, that may affect CAI implementation. The results are expected to offer evidence-based insights for educators and policymakers to optimize the use of tutorial video-based CAI in English language instruction. By highlighting the role of students’ attitudes in technology-driven education, this research contributes to strategies for improving English essay writing performance in resource-constrained settings like Bomet, with implications for broader educational technology integration.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0723/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>