EFFECTS OF INQUIRY METHOD ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN UPPER BASIC SOCIAL STUDIES IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Baba Kudu SABA; Prof. Haladu Isa Bayero & Ibrahim Danjuma Abubakar Ph.D

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of inquiry method on students’ academic performance in upper Basic Social Studies in Kwara State. Research design employed was the two by two pre-test, post-test experimental and control design. Sample sizes of 300 students were used out of 10,244 JSS II Social studies students. A structured instrument titled Social Studies Performance Test (SSPT) was used for the study. Two (2) research questions and two (2) hypotheses were tested using inferential statistical tool and independent-test at 0.05 level of significance. The validity of the instrument was subjected to the confirmation of face and content validity by qualified experts in Social Studies and statistician. The result revealed that there were no significant differences that existed in the academic performance of students taught with inquiry method versus those taught with conventional method. It further revealed that no significant different on the basis of location of the students taught with inquiry technique versus those taught with lecture method. Based on the findings, the use of inquiry method on instruction should be widely encouraged among social Studies teachers of secondary school especially JSS II. Social Studies teachers should be well motivated through incentives so that they can develop their knowledge through capacities building such as workshop, seminars, symposium and conferences.