Effect of drama on the interest and achievement of junior secondary school 2 students in social studies

Thesis Abstract

This study sought to investigate the effect of drama method of instruction on the interest and achievement of junior secondary school 2 students in Social Studies in Bomadi Education Zone of Delta State. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. Specifically, pretest, post-test, non-equivalent control group design was used. The population of the study was 2618 junior secondary school two (JSS 2) students in the 35 public co-educational schools in Bomadi Education Zone in the 2013/2014 academic session. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw four schools out of these schools. The schools were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Intact classes of each school were drawn for the study giving a total of four intact classes. Students in the intact classes constituted the sample of 172 used for the study. Data were collected using a 25-item Drama Method of Achievement Test (DMAT) and a 20-item Social Studies Interest Inventory (SSII). The instruments were validated by experts from both Social Studies and Measurement and Evaluation Departments. The reliability index of 0.74 determined through Kuder-Richardson 20 formular was obtained for the DMAT while an internal consistency index of 0.91 was obtained for the SSII using Cronbach Alpha method. Mean and Standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses formulated at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the discussion of the findings of the study, the researcher recommended among others that emphasis should be made on the use of drama method by the teachers to enhance students’ interest and achievement in Social Studies; equal learning opportunities should be provided to learners in both urban and rural areas and that teachers should acquaint themselves with the skills and principles of this method and use them to enhance effective teaching and learning process. This could be achieved through attending seminars, workshops, conferences and other in-service training programmes organized by the Federal and State Ministries of Education and other professional bodies.