Do Guided and Structured Inquiry Instructional Strategies Have Any Comparative Effects on Studentss Achievement in Basic Science and Technology? A Field Report

Abstract

Comparative effects of guided and structured inquiry instructional strategies on students’ achievement in Basic Science and Technology were examined in this study. A sample of 162 students from six selected secondary schools out of a population of 6,235 Upper Basic Education II students from Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria was used for the study. Nonequivalent quasi-experimental research design was adopted. The instrument used for data collection was Basic Science and Technology Achievement Test (BSTAT) with the reliability value of 0.76 using Kuder-Richardson. Two research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Mean and Standard Deviation scores were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses. The study revealed among other that there is significant difference in the mean achievement scores between students taught Basic Science and Technology using guided and structured inquiry strategies in favour of guided inquiry instructional strategy; [F(1,161) =45.071, P 0.050]. It also found no significant interaction effect between strategies and gender on the mean retention scores of students in Basic Science and Technology; [F(1,161) =.822, P>0.050]. It was recommended among others that guided inquiry instructional strategy should be adopted while teaching Basic Science and Technology since it has been proved to be a viable option in enhancing students’ achievement capacity regardless of their gender.