ABSTRACT
The study was designed and conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Collaborative learning instructional strategy (CLIS) in influencing students’ achievement and retention in Upper Basic Secondary School Social Studies. Five research questions and five null hypotheses guided the study. A Quasi-Experimental Pre-test, Post-test, Non-equivalent Control Group Design was adopted for the study. A sample of 124 upper Basic VII Social Studies students, drawn by both purposive and simple random sampling techniques from two co-educational schools in Agege Education District 1 was used for the study. The two schools were assigned to experimental and control groups respectively. Two intact classes in each school-(one as experimental and the other one as control group) were randomly selected. The experimental and control groups were taught the concept of values, leadership and followership, science and technology by the regular social studies teachers. Three instruments Pre-SSAT, Post-SSAT and Retention Test were developed, duly validated and reliability of coefficient (.086) before using them for data collection. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested at (0.05) using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result of data analysis showed that, there is a significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught social studies with collaborative learning instructional strategy and those taught with lecture method. There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students exposed to collaborative learning instructional strategy. There is a significant difference in the mean achievement score of students exposed to collaborative learning instructional strategy in their post test and retention test. A major educational implication of the findings is that the use of Collaborative learning Instructional Strategy (CLIS) was found to be more effective than the lecture method on students’ achievement and retention. Based on these, some recommendations were made that seminars and workshops should be organized by government and relevant professional bodies like Social Studies Association of Nigeria (SOSSAN) should educate teachers on the use of Collaborative learning as they may not be familiar with it.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Education as an important tool for national development has become one of the major concerns of government in recent times in Nigeria. It is a matter of grave concern for educational stakeholders that the level of achievement and commitment of students to learning is reducing day –in –day-out. One of the major causes identified is the ineffective teaching of the school subjects including social studies. (Abdu-Raheem, 2012)
Social studies is a discipline that involves experiences which deal with the problems of human relationship in the school and the larger community. Social Studies could be seen as a programme of study in schools which is used to inculcate in the learners the knowledge, skills, attitudes and actions considered important in human relationship in the society (Adeyemi, 2003). It also includes human relationships with other culture. These experiences and their rightful application form the values which control the social relations of individuals.
Social Studies has the special focus of positively influencing, modifying and changing pupil’s behaviour in the direction of acceptable norms, values, beliefs, attitudes and practices of the society (Morriset,1980). A competent teacher of Social Studies must acquaint himself or herself with Social Studies methodology and be well groomed in the application of the various methods of teaching social studies.
The general aim of curriculum planners for Social Studies is to provide a forum whereby children will be taught to imbibe the values in the society. The provisions and objectives set for the accomplishment of social goals are sufficiently worthwhile to achieve the set goals. The values emphasised in the current curriculum of Social Studies are those ones which are important to get across to school children. (Adesina& Adeyemi,2009). Common Wealth of Learning(2000), defined curriculum as a composite whole including the learner, the teacher, teaching and learning methodologies, anticipated and unanticipated experiences, outputs and outcomes possible within a learning institution. With the values and attitudes for survival , aimed at in the national guide, it is hopeful that students at the end of the courses should be able to develop the right type of attitude and learn more about their society and others and the right type of value of Social Studies as a school subject.
The aims and objectives of education that may help the individual to develop physically and socially, and be able to contribute to national development as stated by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004), include the following:
- the inculcation of the right of values for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian society.
- the acquisition of appropriate skills, abilities and competence both mental and physical as equipment for the individual to live and to contribute to the development of his society. (FRN, p.8)
These characteristics of the national objectives are fully reflected in the Social Studies objectives. Social Studies, apart from imparting knowledge and providing valuable information necessary in life, also aims at helping students to acquire desirable social habits, attitudes and values needed for the survival of the individual in the society.
Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (2007) clearly spelt out that the overall objectives of Social Studies at both the lower basic and upper basic (Junior Secondary) levels should enable pupils and students to achieve the following:
- Develop the ability to adapt to his or her changing environment.
- Become responsible and disciplined individuals capable and willing to contribute to the development of their societies.
- Inculcate the right types of values.
- Develop a sense of comprehension towards other people, their diverse cultures, history and those fundamental things that make them human.
- Develop the capacity to recognise the many dimensions of being human in different cultural and social contexts.
- Develop a sense of solidarity and sharing based on a sense of security in one’s own identity.(p.6)
In spite of the important place of Social Studies in our educational system, students’ academic achievement in the subject has shown a fluctuating decline especially in Junior Secondary Certificate Examination in Agege Education District 1 of Lagos State. For instance, the Lagos State Examination Board,(2012),Social Studies analysis of Agege Education District 1 has indicated that as at 2008, the percentage of males that passed was 18.31%, and in 2009 it increased to 24.53%, and in 2010 it dropped to 18.31%. While the percentage of the females that passed in 2008 was 21.53%, in 2009 it increased to 26.15% and in 2010 it dropped to 21.53%. This is an indication of low retention of what is taught and subsequently poor achievement. Factors which have been identified as contributing to the persistent low retention and poor level of achievement in Social Studies include the following:
- Poor teaching methods adopted by teachers.
- The prominent use of text and lecture instructional technique strategies by Social Studies teachers.
- Learner variables such as gender and home background.
- Lack of organised strategies for concept formation, teacher characteristics and memory skills (Falade, 2001).
The aforementioned gives an indication that there may be low desire in the area of social studies. This may also be an indication that meaningful learning had not taken place. It has been observed that effective teaching may facilitate learning and make it more meaningful.
In line with this, Sander (2001) stated that effective teaching helps the learner to learn better, while poor teaching would naturally lead to poor learning and consequently poor achievement. Abdu-Raheem(2011) noted that lecture method commonly used for teaching / learning process in Nigerian schools is not so effective because the students are not given the opportunity to interact with the environment and maximally develop their intellectual capabilities. Under the lecture approach, the teacher according to, Yusuf (2007) simply becomes only the expositor and drill master while the learner remains the listener and a store house of facts that can be retrieved when a student hears his name called by the teacher.
The method of teaching could be regarded as the vehicle through which a message is delivered (Salawu,1999). There exist several methods of instruction which have permeated our educational system over the years. Classroom experience shows that in most cases, two or more teaching methods are combined by teachers in classroom practice.
The lecture method according to Awotua-Efebo (2001), is mainly teacher-centred, with the students being consistently passive and contents are taught as absolute knowledge. Lecture method allows a great deal of information to be passed to the learners and favours handling of large classes .In spite of this advantage, the lecture method does not stimulate student’s innovation, inquiry and scientific attitudes. It encourages students to cram facts which are easily forgotten (Okwilagwe, 2002). Furthermore, it does not facilitate the development of reasoning skills and processes in the students. These, among other reasons have not enhanced learning in students and thus had led to poor achievement of students in social studies. However, there is still the need to search and incorporate modern instructional strategies or techniques which the advanced world has long accepted into their classrooms.
It is likely that intervening variables like gender, retention and academic ability can also have an effect on the effectiveness of teaching methods and learning outcomes. Gender refers to the social attributes associated with being a male or female. It is an attribute that differentiates feminine from masculine socially (Lee, 2001). It is a related term that stresses the roles and responsibilities of male and female (Okeke,1999). In this statement, gender is referred to one’s sex; it becomes a factor in classroom instruction when the teacher creates a learning environment that favours either the boys or girls. This study will find out whether gender will influence the achievement of students in social studies if exposed to collaborative learning.
