ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effect of Reflective teaching method on senior secondary school students’ academic achievements and retentions in Economics in Abia state, Nigeria. The study which adopted a quasi-experimental, pretest posttest non-equivalent control group research design was carried out in Aba education zone of Abia State. A sample of 60 SSII students which comprised 28 students in the control and 32 students in the experimental groups was drawn from two public secondary schools in Aba education using purposive sampling technique. One school each was used for experimental group and for control group respectively. Data were collected using a 35-item multiple choice Economics Achievement and Retention Test (EAT). The Instrument was subjected to face and content validation by three experts, two of Economics Education in the Department of Educational management, and another from measurement and evaluation in the Department of Science Education respectively, all in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state as well as one senior Economics teacher in Okigwe road secondary school in Aba, Abia State Nigeria. The Instrument was trial tested to other similar students in a secondary school in another Education zone of the state. Scores from the trial test was analyzed using Kudder Richardson (K-R20) formula so as to determine the internal consistency which yielded an index of 0.75. Before and after the treatment, copies of the instrument were administered to the students by their regular Economics teachers. Six research questions and six hypotheses respectively guided the study. The data collected from the students were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null-hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results among others showed that students taught with Reflection teaching method recorded higher mean achievement and retention than those taught using lecture method. It also showed that Reflective teaching method had higher effect on the male students’ academic achievements in Economics than on the female students. It therefore, concluded that Reflective teaching method had increasing effect on the students’ academic achievement in Economics. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that Government should through the ministry of education, organize regular workshops and seminars for teachers on effective use of Reflective teaching method in teaching Economics.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page ii
Declaration iii
Certification iv
Dedication v
Acknowledgement vi
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables viii
Abstract viix
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2.
Statement of the Problem 6
1.3. Purpose of the Study 7
1.4.
Research Questions 8
1.5.
Hypotheses 9
1.6 Significance of the Study 9
1.7 Scope of the Study 11
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE 12
2.1
Conceptual Framework 12
2.1.1 Economics 12
2.1.2
Reflective teaching method 17
2.1.3
Students’ reflection 20
2.1.3.1
Factors promoting students’ reflection. 21
2.1.4
Academic achievement 23
2.1.5
Students’ academic achievement in
economics 26
2.1.6
Students’ retention in Economics 28
2.1.7
Secondary school economics students 29
2.1.7.1
Gender of economics students 30
2.2
Theoretical Framework 32
2.2.1
Meta-cognition theory by Farvell (1979) 33
2.2.2
Self- regulated learning theory by
Zimmerman (1986) 34
2.3
Empirical Studies 35
2.4
Summary of Related Literature Review 43
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 45
3.1. Design of the Study 45
3.2. Area of the Study 46
3.3 Population of the Study 47
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 47
3.5 Instrument
for Data Collection 48
3.6 Validation of the Instrument 48
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 49
3.8 Experimental
Procedure 49
3.8.1 Control
of extraneous variables 51
3.9 Methods of Data Collection 52
3.10 Methods of Data Analysis 53
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION 54
4.1 Results 54
4.2 Summary
of the Findings 66
4.3 Discussion
of Findings 67
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 72
5.1 Summary
of the Study 72
5.2 Conclusion
73
5.3 Educational
Implications of the Study 74
5.4 Recommendations 76
5.5 Limitations
of the Study 77
5.6 Suggestion
for Further Studies 77
REFERENCES 79
APPENDICES 83
LIST OF TABLES
4.1: Pretest and Posttest mean
scores of students taught
Economics
using Reflection teaching method 54
4.2: Analysis of Covariance
(ANCOVA) of students’ mean
achievement
scores taught using Reflectiove teaching method
and
those taught using lecture method 55
4.3: Pretest and Posttest mean
scores of Male and Female Students
taught Economics using
Reflective teaching method. 56
4.4: Analysis of Covariance
(ANCOVA) of Achievement scores of
Male and
Female Students taught Economics using Reflective
teaching
method 57
4.5: Mean Interaction Effect of
Gender and Methods on Students’
Academic
Achievements in Economics 58
4.6: Analysis of Covariance
(ANCOVA) of Interaction Effect of
Gender
and Methods on Students’ Academic Achievements
in
Economics 59
4.7: Posttest and Retention Mean
scores students taught
Economics
using Reflective teaching method and lecture
teaching
method 60
4.8: Analysis of Covariance
(ANCOVA) of mean retention
scores
of students taught Economics using Reflective
teaching
method and those taught using lecture method 61
4.9: Posttest and Retention mean
Scores of Male and Female Students
taught Economics using
Reflective teaching method. 62
4.10: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)
of Retention mean Scores
of Male
and Female Students taught Economics using
Reflective
teaching method 63
4.11: Mean Interaction Effect of
Gender and Methods on Students’
Retention
in Economics 64
4.12: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)
of Interaction Effect of
Gender
and Methods on Students’ Mean Retention Scores in
Economics 65
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Economics
is a social science subject that studies man and his problems with a view to providing
solutions to them (Agu, 2014). According to Ede (2016) Economics as a subject
was introduced in Nigerian secondary school curriculum in late 1960s. Specifically,
the acceptability of the introduction of the subject by Great Britain
necessitated it’s introduction in Nigerian secondary school curriculum in 1966
and was first taken in West African School Certificate Examination as a subject
in Nigeria in 1967 (Adu, 2014).
Economics
is a subject that has gained interest among students. It is offered by all
classes at their senior secondary school level by the science, Arts and
Humanities students. Economics is an exciting and intellectually based subject
that inspires young people to expand the frontiers of their knowledge about how
best to use limited resources with minimal wastes. The subject therefore,
provides a rational guide to individuals, firms and governments in the
allocation of scarce resources (Anyawucha, 2010).
Nigerian
Educational Research and Development Council [NERDC] (2008) stated
thatEconomics is a living subject and has to be taught and learned in a
practical and realistic way. Presently, teachers are implored to utilize
interactive, collaborative and learner – oriented instructional strategies.
Such instructional strategies and methods include project method, lecture
method and reflective teaching methods.
Reflection
involves describing, analyzing and evaluating our thoughts, assumptions,
beliefs, theory base and actions (Fade, 2015). Kemmis (2010) says that the
process of reflection ismore than a process that focuses on the head. It is a
positive active process that reviews,analyses and evaluates experiences that
draws on theoretical concepts or previous learning and so provides an action
plan for future experiences.
Lawrence
– Wikes and Ashmore (2014) in reflective framework assert that reflecting on new
idea and knowledge makes us to stand back and gain new insight as patterns
emerge to createa more holistic picture. Reflection is like a struggle to see
stars in the dark sky – it might bedifficult to see them at first – we could
see just a black sky – but when our eyes become sensitive for the stars, we see
more and more of them. Our initial struggle to see a single star naturally
resolves as we absorb more detail, so that we can eventually discern increasingly
complex patterns and eventually vast constellations. The Lawrence-Wikes and
Ashmore model proposed more reliable students’ personal reflection about their
inner-self andengagement in critical reflection and engagement in critical
reflection and enquiry as to outerexperience and knowledge in the wider world.
Reflection
method stands on strong foundation of constructivist theories by Vygotsky
(1978)and metacognitive by Flavell (1979). Constructive theory proposes that
students constructtheir own understanding and knowledge of the word, through
experiencing things andreflecting on those experiences to make meaning out of
it and achieve specific goals. A reflective student is a student who knows how
he or she best learns, constantly reflects on learning activities through
constant self-assessment and makes adjustments in order to progress towards
learning goals (Grotbo, 2014). The concept of “reflective thinking” was
introduced by Dewey in 1910 in his book “How we think”. Reflective thinking is
“active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form
of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further
conclusion to which it tends” (Dewey 1993).
Dewey
(1993) states that the reflective thinker is aware of his own knowledge and recognizes
that there may not be only a single correct solution to a given problem.
Through
reflective activities, knowledge and experience are interpreted and analyzed
through the filter of perception and context to obtain new insight for
independent thinking and action.
Thinking
a loud and self-explanation is an act of expressing one’s thought process as
one is engaged in a task that requires thinking. The thinker says out loud all
of the thoughts and feelings that occur when performing a task (Winne and Hadwin,
2013).
It
is a method that can be used either by the teacher or by two students working
together or by a student working alone– when the thinker - talker is the
subject- matter expert, the process allows the expert to model their own
thinking for students. This modeling shows how to think about the material (knowledge,
skills, procedures, etc.) which gives students the opportunity to hear what goes
on in an expert’s head when a text is read, assignment is attached, study for a
test is planned, an essay is written, an error is found, or a problem is
solved. Also, when model in academic performances, it is important to
intentionally make occasional mistakes, so that students can observe and become
aware of them and also of strategies for recovering from them and
self-correcting (Hartman, 2016).
Students’
academic achievement in the subject should be given as the mastering of major
concepts and principles, important facts and propositions, skills, strategic
knowledge and integration of knowledge (Niemi, as cited by Amadi; 2016).
Adeyimi
(2020) described achievement as the scholastic standing of a student at a given
moment, which states individual’s abilities in a particular field of learning.
Achievement is used to measure a student’s learning. Students achievement can
be explained in the form of grades obtained from tests or examination on
subjects taken which is commonly measured by examinations scores or continuous
assessment scores. There is a trend of poor achievement in secondary school
Economics subject as reported by chief examiner of WAEC from 2012 to 2015 (Ede
2014). One of the problems that contribute to poor achievement of students in
Economics is their inability to reflect on their previous achievement to derive
the net meanings which are capital stock for intelligent dealings for their
future learning in Economics related concepts. As a result of the problems, many
researchers have carried out researches on factors that enhance or limit
students’ achievement in different academic fields. In a research, it is the method
used that determines academic achievement in Economics subjects. Davis, (2010),
Manu and Gurmit, (2016) agreed that the type of instructional method the
teacher uses while implementing the Economics curriculum determines the extent
of students’ achievement in Economics. Zeinabadi (2013) stressed that what
determined students’ achievements in Economics subject in secondary school is the
teacher – student relationship. Ngugen (2018) in another empirical research
found that the leadership skills at the administrative level in secondary
schools make a difference in student achievement and that students from the
area where principals use extensive classroom observation is not an important
part of the principals’ agenda.
It
has been found that the causes of students’ poor achievement and retention in Economics
are traceable to other factors such as poor teaching methods, the difficult
nature of some Economics concept and topics, negative attitudes of students
towards Economics, gender factors, school locations and teacher/students
inability to cover their syllabus before they take their final examinations in
Economics (Adeyemi, 2018) WAEC chief examiner’s report, (2020). With respect to
that, some content areas have to be given special consideration in teaching and
learning of the subject so as to help improve the achievement and retention of
the students. Such content areas are those that deal with graphical
representation and illustrations like theory of Demand, theory of supply,
market structure, utility and cost theory.
Although,
efforts have been made by teachers to simplify teaching and learning of market
structure and graph related concepts in Economics like, using different
innovative methods in teaching and learning, developing and improvising
instructional materials in senior secondary schools, it appears as if students
find it difficult to retain Economics knowledge for a longtime.
Retention
occurs when facts or experiences are stored in the long-term memory to be recalled
when needed. Retention according to Ngwoke and Eze (2010) is the process by
which a child stores information in his memory for use at a later period.
Conditions that relate to poor retention include factors like poor teaching
methods, lack of relevant experiences, poor study habit, poor health condition
and disruptive emotional state of the students. Retention ability by influence
by gender of the students.
Gender
refers to socially or culturally constructed characteristics, qualities,
behaviors and roles, which different societies ascribe to females and males
(Onah, 2018). Ballard and Johnson (2016) found that women have low expectation
about their ability to succeed in principles of economics courses, with a major
factor being women’s relatively low level of competency in mathematics which
forms some basic parts of economics. However, Emerson and Taylor (2014) in
their study on comparing student achievement across experimental and lecture-oriented
section of principles of microeconomics course found that male students have a
significant achievement advantage over females in the traditional section while
their female counterparts out performed them in experimental section. Lending
support to this Education Audio – visual and culture executives’ Agency as
cited by Adeyemi, (2018) observed that male students performed better than
female students in quantitative subjects while girls tend to have weaker
self-concept in sciences than male mostly in mathematics related subject.
In
contrast, Adedamola (2016) found that the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CPRknowledge retention of the Nigerian secondary school students six weeks
after their first training remained significantly high and gender did not show
any significant relationship or influence with CPR knowledge. This finding is
in agreement with Miro, Escalate, Jamenez, Diaz, Sanclement, Gomez, Sanchez
(2018) in their analysis of factors associated with satisfactory learning; they
found out that, gender was not one of the predictors of learning. These
research works have shown contradictory evidences on the influence of gender on
students’ achievement and retention. It is therefore, worthwhile to see how
reflective teaching method would bridge the gap between male and female
students’ academic achievement and retention in Economics.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There
is a general view among students that Economics is difficult, particularly with
reference to the graphical analysis and illustration associated with some
concepts. More often, students show more preference and interest in questions
and concepts that have no graphic analysis and illustration. In senior
secondary school certificate examinations, students who tend to attempt
graphical related questions have often shown poor achievement. This situation is
more obvious when such questions are made compulsory. Consequently, this
situation has contributed adversely to poor achievements recorded in Economics
over the years going by chief examiner while reporting on results of May/June
2020 senior school certificate examination results. The report noted that there
is marginal decline in the performance of candidates in 2015 May/June WASSCE
results when compared with 2015, 2016 and 2017.The chief examiners noted that
majority of the students/candidates were unable to handle some calculations in
Economics. They involve calculations involving: total cost, marginal cost and
price elasticity. A question in market structure was attempted by very few
candidates, in which they show deficiency in knowledge mastery of market
structure terms and also poor graphic analysis, candidates attempted
unsatisfactorily to draw graphs and demand curve. As a result of
ineffectiveness of traditional teaching method used by Economics teachers in
teaching the above-mentioned topics. Based on the persistent students’ poor
achievement and retention in Economics concepts in recent years, it is
therefore imperative to carry out this study to find out the extent to which
the use of reflection method could improve students’ achievement and retention
in Economics. The extent to which reflective teaching method will enhance
students’ achievement and retention in Economics is a thrust of this study. In
other words, the study determined the effect of reflective teaching method on
senior secondary school students’achievement and retention in Economics.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study was to determine the effects of reflective teaching
method on senior secondary school students’ achievement and retention in
Economics. Specifically, the study determined the:
1. mean
achievement scores of students’ taught Economics using Reflective teaching
method and those taught using lecture method
2. mean achievements
scores of male and female students taught Economics using Reflective teaching
method
3. the
interaction effect of gender and methods on the mean achievements of students
taught Economics
4. mean
retention scores of students’ taught Economics using Reflective teaching method
and those taught using lecture method
5. mean
retention scores of male and female students taught Economics using Reflective
teaching method
6. interaction effect of gender and methods on
the mean retention of students taught Economics.
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following research questions guided this study:
1. What are the mean achievement scores of
students’ taught Economics using Reflective teaching method and those taught
using lecture method?
2. What are the mean achievements scores of
male and female students taught Economics using Reflective teaching method?
3. What is the interaction effect of gender
and methods on the mean achievements of students taught Economics?
4. What are the mean retention scores of students’
taught Economics using Reflective teaching method and those taught using
lecture method?
5. What are the mean retention scores of male
and female students taught Economics using Reflective teaching method?
6. What is the interaction effect of gender
and methods on the mean retention of students taught Economics?
1.5. HYPOTHESES
The
following null hypotheses were formulated and was tested at 0.05level of
significance.
H01: There is no significant difference between the mean
achievement score of students taught Economics using Reflective teaching method
and those taught using lecture method.
H02:
There is
no significant difference between the academic mean achievement scores of male
and female students taught Economics using Reflective teaching method.
H03: There is no significant
interaction effect of gender and methods on students’ academic achievements in
Economics.
HO4: There is no significant
difference between the academic mean retention scores of male and female
students taught Economics using Reflective teaching method.
H05: There is no significant
difference between the mean retention scores of male and female students taught
Economics using Reflective teaching method.
H06: There is
no significant interaction effect of gender and methods on students’ mean
retention in Economics.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
results of this study has both practical and theoretical significance. Practically,
it is hoped that the results of this study could be of paramount importance to the
students, teachers, curriculum planners and society if accepted. The students
would benefit from the result of the study if the method is integrated in
teaching Economics, in the sense that, it encourages self-effort in learning
among students, which could make them sort solution themselves and achieve
higher scores in exams. It could help in reduction of the incidence of dropouts
and frustrations that accompany learning difficulties encountered by students with
poor students’ academic achievement and retention in this method, as students
are actively involved in their learning processes.
To
Economics teachers, it is hoped that the results of this study would be of
immense importance to them in implementing difficult topics in Economics in the
classroom. Hence, equip the teachers on instructional pedagogies that motivate
students to reflect on their learning experiences.
When
the result of the study is implemented, the secondary school Economics students
will graduate with complete mastery of knowledge that will increase the quality
of Economics manpower supply in the labour market. The quality of Economics
candidates for admission into social science education and social science
courses in the university and other tertiary institutions of learning because
they are already grounded in basic knowledge of Economics will increase. When
students that graduate with complete mastery of knowledge in Economics are
employed, productivity will increase, which will in turn, increase gross
domestic product that enhances standard of living.
Curriculum
planners through conferences would utilize the result of this study while
planning the curriculum in order to suggest some effective teaching methods
along with the contents and topics of Economics so as to enhance teaching.
The
theoretical significance of this study is based on constructivism,
metacognitive and self-regulated theories of learning that argue that humans
generate knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences
and their ideas. The constructivist maintains that learning is a process of
constructing meaning; it is how people make sense of their experience. This
concept is easily translated into self-directed learning style. Wherethe
individual has the ability to take in all the information and the environment
of a problem and learn through constant reflections. Constructivism does not
dismiss the active role of the teacher rather modifies the role by making
teacher as a guider, moderator and coordinator of learning, so that students
can construct knowledge, rather than to reproduce series of facts. Therefore,
the findings of this study strengthened the texts of these theories.
The
government as the policy maker through her ministry of education will be able
to make policies with regards to teaching strategies, disseminate information,
through training and re-training of Economics teachers. This when put into
practice will boost teachers’ methodologies and improve students’ academic
achievement.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study was delimited to the effect of reflective teaching method on senior secondary
school students’ achievement and retention in Economics in Abia State Nigeria.
The study laid emphasis on SS 11 Economics students in public schools in Abia
State. This is because SS 11 is a non-examination class, which is appropriate for the research.
The contents scope included reflective teaching method, students’ achievement,
secondary school economics students, students’ retention, Economics.
Login To Comment