EFFECTS OF GUIDED INQUIRY ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN PHYSICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EBONYI STATE
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of the Guided Inquiry Instructional Method (GIIM) on
senior secondary school students’ interest and academic achievement in Physics in
Ebonyi State, Nigeria, with particular emphasis on gender differences and the interaction
effect of teaching method and gender. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent
control group design was adopted. The population comprised all Senior
Secondary Two (SSII) Physics students in public secondary schools across the three
Education Zones of Ebonyi State. A sample of 150 SSII Physics students was selected
through a multistage sampling procedure. Students in the experimental group were taught
selected Physics concepts using the Guided Inquiry Instructional Method, while those in
the control group were taught using the conventional lecture method for six weeks. Data
were collected using the Physics Achievement Test (PAT) and Physics Interest Inventory
Scale (PIIS). Reliability coefficients of 0.79 and 0.83 were obtained for PAT and PIIS
respectively, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. Data were analyzed using mean,
standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at a 0.05 level of significance.
The findings revealed that Guided Inquiry significantly improved students’ interest and
academic achievement in Physics compared with the conventional lecture method.
Gender significantly influenced some outcomes within the guided inquiry group, while no
significant interaction effect existed between teaching method and gender. The study
concluded that Guided Inquiry is an effective learner-centered instructional strategy for
improving students’ affective and cognitive outcomes in Physics. It was recommended
that Physics teachers adopt guided inquiry approaches to enhance students’ engagement
and achievement in Physics classrooms.
Keywords: Guided Inquiry, Physics Achievement, Physics Interest, Gender, Physics
Education.
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