ABSTRACT

This study focused on effect of performance assessmentdriven instruction on the attitude and achievement of senior secondary school students in Agricultural science using guided discovery method in Umuahia North L.G.A, Abia State. It adopted quasi-experimental research design. The population for the study was 1459, made up of all the 201712018 year two senior secondary (SSl l) Agricultural science students in Umuahia North L.G.A, Abia State. A sample of 65 Agricultural science students were chosen by purposive sampling technique from two selected secondary schools. It comprised of 16 male and 15 female assigned to experimental group and 16 female and 18 male assigned to control group. Two intact classes were used for the study. Two research questions and two mull hypotheses guided the study. Two instruments were used for data collection titled: Performance Based Assessment Agricultural Science Tests (PBAAST) and Students Attitudinal Scale (SAS). PBAAST was subjected to face and content validation while SAS was subject to construct validation. A reliability index of 0. 77 for PBAAST was obtained using Kuder-Richardson K-R20 while reliability index of 0.87 of the SAS was obtained using Cronbach Alpha which guaranteed the use of the instrument for the study. The data collected were analyzed using Mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while ANCOVA and t test for dependent means was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that PA-driven instruction with guided discovery improved students' performance abilities and increased students' confidence in learning Agricultural Science, that students' attitudes toward Agricultural Science were generally positive. It was recommended · · · fior that government should organise in-service training Agricultural Science teachers on the use of guided discovery method with PA-driven instructions and Agricultural Science teachers should also integral& performance assessment-based strategy with guided discovery Method for effective teaching and learning. 

: Performance, Assessment-Driven Instruction, Attitude, Agricultural Science, Guided Discovery.