Abstract

COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF GUIDED, UNGUIDED AND STRUCTURAL INQUIRY TEACHING METHODS ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS? RETENTION IN TRIGONOMETRY

Alio B.C. 1, Anibueze C.O.2, Ayogu D.I.3

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Abstract The study determined the comparative effect of guided, unguided and structural inquiry teaching methods on senior secondary school students? retention in trigonometry. The study was guided by two (2) research questions and four (4) research hypotheses. The design of this study was non-equivalent quasi-experimental research. The sample size of the study was Four hundred and fifty-six (456) Senior Secondary School Students One (SSS 1) in the three (3) sampled coeducational secondary schools in Enugu Education zone. Trigonometry Achievement Test (TAT) was the instrument that was used for data collection, which underwent face validation only and was reliable with the K-R20 coefficient of 0.78. Mean (x ?) and standard deviation (s) were used in answering the research questions. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the research hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels. The study discovered among the four teaching methods (Guided, Unguided and Structural Inquiry Teaching methods, and Expository teaching method) that were used in this study, only the students that taught trigonometry using the Guided Inquiry teaching method had an improvement in their mean retention scores and had the highest mean retention score. Finally, the study discovered that the female students had higher posttest and retention mean scores than their male counterparts and the differences were significant. The study recommended that parents and mathematics should adopt Guided Inquiry Teaching method when teaching students Trigonometry in order to boost the students? retentive memory in trigonometry.

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