EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF HOMOGENEOUS AND HETEROGENEOUS ABILITY GROUPING ON UNDERGRADUATES ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Abstract

This paper examined the relative impact of heterogeneous and homogeneous ability
grouping on undergraduates in Ekiti, Nigeria. The study adopted a pre-test, post-test,
control group quasi-experimental design. Three null hypotheses were generated and
tested at 0.05 level of significance. The sample consisted of 120 Science Education
students selected from 200 Level (2023/24 session) through purposive sampling
technique. The instrument that was used for the study was Science Education
Achievement Test (SEAT). Expert judgments were used to ensure face and content
validity. Test-retest method was used to determine the reliability and reliability
Coefficient of 0.82 was obtained. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics of ttest.
The study found out that there was no significant difference between the posttest
means scores of students in the two homogeneous and heterogenous ability groups
respectively after exposure to treatment. It was also revealed that there was a
significant difference between the posttest means scores of students in the
homogenous and heterogeneous ability group after exposure to treatment. Based on
this finding, it was recommended among other things that the University management
should organize seminar among lecturers of the institution on effective use of group
interaction strategies in their various departments among others.

Keywords- Ability Grouping; Achievement; Heterogeneous; Homogeneous;
Undergraduates