Inquiry Method and Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools
ABSTRACT
The research was conducted to examine Inquiry Method and Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools. The research design adopted for this study was a survey research design. A review of the related literature was used as a guide in establishing principles for the study. The population for this study was two thousand, eight hundred and ninety-seven (2,897) Students from SS2 classes in the study area. The sample size of two hundred (200) students was randomly selected for the study. Two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Students Achievement Test was the main instrument for data collection. The data generated from the instruments were analyzed using independent t-test statistics. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant difference in academic performance of students taught government using inquiry method and those taught using conventional method. It also revealed that there is a significant difference between academic performances of male students taught using inquiry method from that of female students.
Inquiry Method and Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The selection and usage of proper teaching methods ensures the achievement of any instructional objective. Effective teaching methods are strategies used in the presentation of lesson to help the students learn by ensuring the smooth delivery of the instructional phase or an entire course delivered. The various teaching methods used by the integrated science teachers have a major rule in class, particularly in the dissemination of information to students. Robert (2014) pointed out that teaching methods comprises the principles and method used for instruction. The choice of teaching methods or strategies to be used depends largely on the information of skill that is being taught and it may also be influenced by the style, aptitude, skills and enthusiasm of the students.
Inquiry method of teaching according to Aina, Adedoyin, Obilo and Ahmadu (2012), is a method of teaching in which the students find answers to questions, problems or riddles raised during the learning processes. It involves probing, finding out, investigating, analyzing, synthesizing, discovering, evaluating, questioning and thinking. They further stated that, for students to be meaningfully engaged in the inquiry, there is need for the teacher to practically involve them from the planning stage to the evaluative stage. This can be done by the students and the teacher by locating and gathering information from many sources like reading materials, audio materials, and specimen and community resources.
Similarly, Mezieobi, Fubara and Mezieobi (2008), describes inquiry method as an activity-oriented, thought- provoking creative method in which students, out of curiosity and on their own, or under the guidance of the teacher, probe, investigate, and interpret relevant issues and problems with a view to providing solution through reflective thinking and rational decision making which the method develops in the inquirer. They further asserts that the inquiry method involves the scientific method of identifying problems, formulating hypotheses, collecting relevant data to authenticate the data, drawing conclusions even if tentatively and developing generalizations, in the utilization of the inquiry method, the teacher or student may introduce a problem which may be difficult, controversial and investigation-oriented.
In order to guide inquiry through a clear definition of the problem, students are made to ask a number of questions related to the identified problem. Alternatively, the teacher should pose questions that would elicit answer or statements from the students and guide the inquiry. According to Essien (2012) inquiry teaching methods is the method used to help students learn the desire course contents and be able to develop achievable goals in the future.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The poor academic performance of students in secondary schools has become a serious problem to teachers, students and parents. The problem of student’s failure in the subject is attributed to number of factors among which include teacher’s method of teaching, student’s attitudes to learning, socio-economic background of parents, and peer influence among others. Fadella (2010) opined that in determining student’s academic performance, the students themselves, the teachers, the school authorities, parents and the learning environment constitute to the academic performance of the students.
Unfortunately, students have performed poorly in recent times. This dismal performance in the subject has arose series of question as to what could be the cause of the problem. Consequently, the research study is carried out to investigate the influence of inquiry method on the academic performance of student in order to ascertain whether the methods of teaching used in teaching can contribute to student’s poor performance in the subject.
Inquiry Method and Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of the study was to investigate inquiry method and students’ academic performance in secondary schools.
Specifically, the study is designed to:
- Investigate the difference in the performance of students between those taught with inquiry method and those taught the same with conventional method of teaching.
- Examine the difference in the performance of male students from that of female students taught with inquiry method.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The finding of the study will be of high significant to teachers by enabling them to adopt good and effective teaching method that will enhance teaching and learning of the subject in school.
The finding of the study and its recommendations will also help the government to see the need of sensitizing the teacher on the good and effective teaching method to be used in teaching in the classroom.
It will also help school administrators, stakeholder and the appropriate authority to see the need of organizing seminars workshop, and in-service training for the teachers to be acquainted with relevant changes and ideas during teaching delivery.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study:
- What is the difference in the performance of government students between those taught with inquiry method and those taught the same with conventional method of teaching?
- What is the difference in the performance of male students from that of female students when taught government with inquiry method?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:
- There is no significant difference in the performance of government students between those taught with inquiry method and those taught the same with conventional method of teaching.
- There is no significant difference in the performance of male students from that of female students when taught government with inquiry method.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
The study was faced with difficulties which include:
- Time factor: the period for the completion of the study was short and the researcher could not cover all the secondary schools in the study area.
- Financial constraint: Finance available for the study was not enough to support the research in the process of data acquisition.
