ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effect of Reflective teaching method on senior secondary school students’ academic achievements and retentions in Economics in Abia state, Nigeria. The study which adopted a quasi-experimental, pretest posttest non-equivalent control group research design was carried out in Aba education zone of Abia State. A sample of 60 SSII students which comprised 28 students in the control and 32 students in the experimental groups was drawn from two public secondary schools in Aba education using purposive sampling technique. One school each was used for experimental group and for control group respectively. Data were collected using a 35-item multiple choice Economics Achievement and Retention Test (EAT). The Instrument was subjected to face and content validation by three experts, two of Economics Education in the Department of Educational management, and another from measurement and evaluation in the Department of Science Education respectively, all in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state as well as one senior Economics teacher in Okigwe road secondary school in Aba, Abia State Nigeria. The Instrument was trial tested to other similar students in a secondary school in another Education zone of the state. Scores from the trial test was analyzed using Kudder Richardson (K-R₂₀) formula so as to determine the internal consistency which yielded an index of 0.75. Before and after the treatment, copies of the instrument were administered to the students by their regular Economics teachers. Six research questions and six hypotheses respectively guided the study. The data collected from the students were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null-hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results among others showed that students taught with Reflection teaching method recorded higher mean achievement and retention than those taught using lecture method. It also showed that Reflective teaching method had higher effect on the male students’ academic achievements in Economics than on the female students. It therefore, concluded that Reflective teaching method had increasing effect on the students’ academic achievement in Economics.  Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that Government should through the ministry of education, organize regular workshops and seminars for teachers on effective use of Reflective teaching method in teaching Economics.