EFFECT OF PROJECT METHOD AND CONCEPT MAPPING ON THE ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST OF STUDENTS IN SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS IN GEOGRAPHY
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effect of project method and concept mapping on the achievement and interest of students in environmental concepts in geography. The study also investigated the influence of gender on student academic achievement and interest in environmental concepts in geography. The interaction effect of teaching strategies and gender on students’ achievement and interest were also investigated in this study. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, six (6) research questions were posed and five (5) null hypotheses were formulated which were tested at .05 level of significance. The study utilised quasi experimental control group design. The population of the study comprised all the 1479 SSII Geography students. Two hundred (200) SSII Geography students constituted the sample of this study. Two instruments were used to collect data for this study, they were: Environmental Concept Achievement Test (ECAT) and Environmental Concept Interest Inventory (ECII). These two instruments were face-validated by experts in measurement and evaluation, and geography teachers. The reliability of ECAT was determined using Kuder-Richason formula 20 (kR-20) and the reliability index of .90 was obtained. The reliability index of .815 was also obtained for ECII using Cronbach alpha method. The data obtained for the study were analyzed using mean and standard deviation in answering research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses. The findings of the study were: project method and concept mapping strategies significantly enhanced students’ academic achievement in environmental concepts in geography when compared with the conventional lecture method, teaching strategies were not significant factor on students’ interest in geography, gender influence students’ achievement in environmental concepts in geography, gender was not a significant factor on student’s interest in environmental concepts in geography, there was significant interaction effect of teaching strategies and gender on student’s achievement, and there was no significant interaction effect of teaching strategies and gender on student’s interest in environmental concepts in geography. Based on the above findings of the study, recommendations were also made which include that geography teachers should introduce project and concept mapping in their lessons in order to attract and motivate students to learn geography which will in turn enhance the students’ academic achievement and interest in the subject.