Effects of Dramatization, Discussion, and Inquiry Teaching Methods on the Academic Performance and Retention of Basic 8 Students in Social Studies in Benue State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study examined the comparative effects of dramatization, discussion, and inquiry teaching methods on the academic performance and retention of Basic 8 students in Social Studies in Benue State, Nigeria. The area of study was the Vandeikya and Katsina-Ala Education Zones of Benue State. The study was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses. The study design employed a pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent group quasi-experimental design. The population comprised 56,080 Basic 8 students (30,544 males and 25,536 females) from 201 UBE schools. The sample of the study consisted of 5,608 Basic 8 students drawn via a multistage sampling technique. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used for testing of hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant effect of dramatization over discussion and inquiry method on academic performance of Basic 8 students. It also revealed that there is a significant effect of teaching method on students’ retention in Social Studies. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Social Studies curriculum planners and school management should emphasize the use of the dramatization method in the teaching and learning of Social Studies to enhance students’ performance and retention.