IMPACT OF INQUIRY DEMONSTRATION METHOD IN ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN ALGEBRA AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of inquiry-demonstration method on remediating
errors and academic performance in algebra towards enhancing science and
science education in a dwindling economy sustainable development. The research
design is Quasi-experimental pre-test and posttest control groups; the experimental
group was exposed to inquiry-demonstration method and control group was taught
using lecture method. Two Co-educational schools were selected out of twenty senior
secondary schools in the zone.186 students made up of 113 males and 73 females out
of 3,606 senior secondary school students were randomly selected as sample size
using simple random sampling technique. Four research questions and hypotheses
were formulated and assessed using descriptive statistics of frequency and
percentage to answer research questions 1, 2 and 3. Mean and Standard Deviation
was used to answer research question four. Chi-square statistics was used to test null
hypotheses 1, 2 and 3 and t-test statistics was used to test null hypothesis 4, ANOVA
was used to test the significant difference among schools and Schaffer's test was used
to find schools that were not significantly different as sample schools, at P ≤ 0.05
level of Significance. Three instruments were used, Quadratic Equation Error
Diagnostic Test (QEDT), Quadratic Equation Performance Test, and Modified
Newman Interactive Schedule (MNIS). Test retest reliability was observed. Pearson
Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) was used, and found to be 0.88
and 0.75 respectively. The difficulty and discriminating indices were calculated to be
0.80, and 0.71. The findings revealed that there was significant difference in the
frequencies of Neman errors of experimental and control groups, and was not gender
friendly on performance. It is recommended among others that the concepts of
quadratic equations in algebra should be taught effectively in order to reduce the
frequencies of Newman errors and improve students' performance. Professional
bodies such as MAN, STAN, Mathematics educators, Text books publishers should
organize training programs for teachers teaching mathematics in form of seminars,
workshops and conferences focusing on the effective use of inquiry-demonstration
method to enhance science and technology education in a dwindling economy