Effect of Inquiry Strategy on Senior Secondary School Student's Academic Performance and Interest in Geography in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Journal of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Education (JOSTMED), 20(1), March, 2025 218 EFFECTS OF INQUIRY STRATEGY ON SENIOR SECONDARYSCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND INTERESTIN GEOGRAPHY IN KATSINA, NIGERIA AHMED, TUKUR Department of Science and Technology Education, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria Phone Number: 08137643582 Email: Ahmed.tukur@futminna.ed.ng Abstract This study investigated the Effects of Inquiry Strategy on Senior Secondary School Students Academic Performance and Interest in Geography, Katsina State, Nigeria. Three research objectives, three research question were raised and three null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 significant level. The study used quasi experimental involving pre and posttests control group design. The target population for the study covered 2,251 senior secondary school year II students in the study area. A total number of 100 students from two intact classes of SS II were purposively selected and used as sample of the study. One school was assigned as the experimental group, while the other one served as the control group. Two instruments namely, Geography Achievement Test (GAT) and Geography Interest Questionnaire (GIQ) were used for data collection. The instruments were validated by experts in science education and psychology and their reliability coefficients were calculated using PPMC and Cronbach Alpha reliability method and the indices were found to be 0.74 and 0.8 respectively. Research questions were answered descriptively using mean and standard deviation while null hypotheses were tested inferentially using t-test, ANCOVA, Mann Whitney U-Test and Kruskal Wallis H-Test. Findings of the study revealed that there was significant difference in the academic performance of students exposed to the inquiry strategy and lecture method in favour of experimental group. There was also significant difference in the interest of students exposed to the same strategy and those taught using lecture method. Gender difference exist in the performance and interest of students exposed to inquiry strategy. On the bases of the findings, the study recommended that the use of Inquiry Strategy in teaching geography in school should be encouraged by State Ministries of Education through training of teachers in form of seminars and workshops on how to use inquiry in teaching periodically. Similarly, Katsina State Ministry of education should ensure adequate monitoring of teachers when using Inquiry Strategy for improving achievement and interest towards school subjects with immediate effect. Keywords: Inquiry Strategy, Academic Performance, Interest