EFFECT OF PROJECT METHOD ON PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT

The study examined the effect of project method on the performance of students in Social studies in junior secondary schools in Jigawa State, Nigeria. The study was carried out with the objectives to; determine the difference between the performances of students taught social studies using project method and those taught with conventional method in junior secondary schools in Jigawa state; examine the extent to which gender difference affect the performance of students taught social studies using project method in junior secondary schools in Jigawa state; and compare the performance of students taught social studies using project method in rural and urban junior secondary schools in Jigawa state. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were postulated in line with the stated objectives. The study was conducted using quasi-experimental research design. The study used a target population of 12,380 JSSII students from Dutse education zone in Jigawa State. The total of fifty-two (52) students were sampled as experimental group, while sixty-five (65) students were sampled for the control group making the total of one hundred and seventeen (117) students, comprising of seventy-two (72) male and forty-five (45) female students. Data for the study was collected through the pre-test, treatment and post-test using a teacher made instrument (Test), which consisted of 30 objective test items and a treatment package. Data collected were analyzed statistically through the use of the descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics of independent sample t-test. It was found that, there was significant difference in the performances of students taught social studies using project method and those taught with conventional method in junior secondary schools in Jigawa State and there was no significant difference in the extent to which gender difference affect the performance of students taught social studies using project method in junior secondary schools in Jigawa State among other finding. Based on the findings, recommendations were made that project method should be incorporated into the teaching of Social studies at the secondary school level since it stimulate students to effectively learn and retain the concepts presented to them. Teachers should ensure they plan their lessons with equal learning opportunity for both male and female students in junior secondary schools in Jigawa State.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Social studies deal with man‘s interactions with his environment. It is concerned with the reciprocal relationship between man and his various aspects of his environment. While interacting with his physical and social environments, men encounters problems and challenges in him to live comfortably, orderly and more meaningfully (Muhammed, 2006). Man continuously finds solutions to problems and issues that arise in his socio-economic life. It is expected that through social studies man would have been sufficiently informed to tackle these societal problems and issues. Therefore, the general purpose of social studies education is to help learners develop the ability to adapt to acquisition of relevant knowledge, attitudes, values and practical skills.

Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence (NTI, 2006). Within the school programme, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences. The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. Social studies is taught in kindergarten through junior secondary schools across the nation. As a field of study, social studies may be more difficult to define than is a single discipline such as history or geography, precisely because it is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary and because it is sometimes taught in one class (perhaps called ―social studies‖) and sometimes in separate discipline based classes within a department of social studies. According to National Teachers‘ Institute (NTI, 2006).