Title: Effect Of Adopting Small Group Strategy In Social Studies Curriculum Delivery For Enhancement Of Students Academic Performance In Delta State
Authors: ADONE, Eric John and Dr. E.C Ogheneakoke
Volume: 8
Issue: 10
Pages: 25-32
Publication Date: 2024/10/28
Abstract:
The study investigated the effect of adopting a small group strategy in the social studies curriculum delivery on students' academic performance in Delta State. Two research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The study employed a 2 x 2 factorial quasi-experimental research design. 77,295 student from Upper Basic 8 in all the 467 public secondary schools in all the three Senatorial district of Delta State in the 2021/2022 academic session form the population of the study. 199 upper basic 8 students from four of the 467 public secondary schools spread throughout three Delta State senatorial districts were included in the sample. The schools were chosen using the deliberate non-randomised sampling approach. Two experts verified the Social Studies Performance Test (SSPT). Fifty (50) students took the SSPT pre-trial test administered by the researcher. The reliability index was calculated using Kuder-Richardson formula -21, yielding a coefficient value of 0.77. The sampled school was allocated to the treatment group. The students were given the pre- and post-tests. The research questions were answered using mean scores and standard deviations of scores. Hypotheses were tested with a t-test analysis at 0.05 alpha levels of significance. The result of the study revealed that using small groups as an instructional strategy improved students' performance in social studies compared to the conventional teaching method. The finding also reveals that there is no significant difference between the mean performance scores of male and female students taught Social Studies using a small group instructional strategy in Delta State. From the results obtained, The study concluded that students who were taught Social Studies through small group instructional strategies outperformed those taught using the traditional lecture method. Additionally, gender did not have a significant impact on students' academic performance in Social Studies The recommendation following the study was that social studies teachers should endeavour to expose students to small groups so as to promote and encourage social interaction, active engagement in learning, self-motivation, learning by doing, and learning by experience in the classroom.