EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTIVIST-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS IN ENUGU EDUCATION ZONE

Abstract

The study explored the effects of constructivist-based instructional model (5E instructional model) on secondary school students’ academic achievement and critical thinking skills in mathematics in Enugu Education Zone. Two research questions guided the study and three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design involving 2 x 2 factorial arrangements. 96 SS2 mathematics students in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu State were involved in the study. The Achievement Test in Probability (ATP) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by two lecturers, one in the Department of Science Education and the other in the Department of Educational Foundations, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and one experienced secondary school teacher. The reliability of the instrument which was established using Kudder-Richardson 20 was 0.84. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used for testing the null hypotheses. The findings of the study indicated that constructivist-based instructional model had significant effects on students’ academic achievement. Also the influence of gender on the students’ achievement in probability was not significant. The study recommended that teacher education programmes should include constructivist-based instructional model in mathematics teaching method. This will ensure that mathematics teachers are adequately trained on how to use constructivist-based instructional model in teaching and learning.