Guided-discovery Learning Strategy and Senior School Students Performance in Mathematics in Ejigbo, Nigeria

Abstract

The concern of this study was to investigate the effect of guided-discovery learning strategy on students performance in Mathematics alongside influence of gender and scoring levels ability of the students. 202 SSI Students from two selected public co-educational schools in Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State constituted the sample of the study. The research  was a quasi-experimental one and the main instrument for data collection was a 20-item multiple choice Mathematics Achievement Test drawn from West African Examination Council past questions on Set Theory. Three research questions was raised with three corresponding hypotheses tested. Results revealed a significant difference in favour of those exposed to guided-discovery learning strategy compared to those not taught using guided-discovery learning strategy. Though both male and female students performed equally well when taught using guided discovery strategy, the study showed that high scoring students benefited most while the performance of low scoring students was also enhanced. It was recommended among others that mathematics teachers should make the teaching-learning of mathematics an interactive and activity – based one for the students using strategy that all students could gain from irrespective of the ability levels of the students and, government both at Federal and State levels should periodically asides regular workshops for teachers develop a mean of reviewing / assessing the impact of teaching strategies.

Key words: Guided-discovery, learning, strategy, students, performance, Mathematics