EFFECTS OF DISCUSSION METHOD ON SS1 STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY IN MAIDUGURI METROPOLIS, BORNO STATE

The Impact of Discussion Method on Achievement of Senior Secondary School One (SS1) Students in Chemistry in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State was investigated. The aim was to determine whether the discussion method has a better academic output of students compared to the traditional lecture method, and to examine the impacts of gender and school location on students' achievement in Chemistry. A pre-test, post-test control group quasi-experimental research design were applied in the study. The population was all SS1 Chemistry students in Maiduguri Metropolis public secondary schools, from which a sample of 120 students was randomly selected from four schools. Two were designated for the experimental group and two for the control group. The researcher-designed and expert-established Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) served as the major data collection tool, whose reliability coefficient was 0.91 through the test-retest method. Descriptive statistics (standard deviation and mean) and inferential statistics (paired and independent sample t-tests) at 0.05 significance level were used for data analysis. Results indicated that the students taught using the discussion method performed considerably higher than those taught using the traditional lecture method. It also indicated that there was no significant difference in male and female student performance as well as in the urban and rural institution students, meaning that the discussion method is location-independent and gender-independent. The research suggested that the discussion method is used by Chemistry educators as a substitute for the traditional lecture method and that educational authorities ensure workshops and training are conducted to elevate teachers' capability to use interactive, student-centered approaches in teaching.