ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of flipped classroom and elaborative interrogation instructional strategies on students’ achievement, retention and test-anxiety in Economics in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Twelve specific research objectives, twelve research questions and twelve null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted quasi-experimental design, specifically nonequivalent control group design or pretest post-test control group design. The population of the study was 18768 senior secondary two (SSII) students of Ebonyi state while the sample size was 125 senior secondary two (SSII) students of three intact classes drawn from three co-educational public secondary schools using purposive technique. Each of the three intact classes of the respective schools was assigned to the three groups (two experimental groups and one control group). The experimental group 1 was taught using flipped class room, the experimental group 2 was taught using elaborative interrogation while the control group was taught with lecture method. Data were collected using two instruments which were: Economics Achievement Test (EAT) and Mathematics-Related Economics Concepts Test Anxiety Scale (MECTAS). The instruments were face and content validated by three experts and two experienced senior secondary school Economics teacher. The reliability of the instruments was determined using Kuder Richardson 20 (K-R 20) for Economics Achievement Test (EAT) which yielded the coefficient index of .86 while the internal consistency of Mathematics-Related Economics Concepts Test Anxiety Scale (MECTAS) was determined using Cronbach Alpha statistic which yielded the coefficient index of .88. Data obtained were analyzed with mean, standard deviation and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Mean was used to answer the research questions; the standard deviation was used to determine the closeness of the scores and responses while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study included among others that: students taught mathematics-related concepts in Economics using flipped class room and elaborative interrogation instructional strategies had significantly higher achievement, retention and reduction in test anxiety than students taught using lecture method; there was no significant difference in the mean achievement of male and female students taught mathematics-related concepts in Economics using flipped classroom, elaborative interrogation; Gender and instructional strategies had no significant interaction effect  on the mean achievement, retention and test anxiety of students taught mathematics-related concepts in Economics. Recommendations made included that flipped class room and elaborative interrogative should be used consistently by Economics teachers in teaching secondary schools students so as to address the problem of poor achievement, retention and text anxiety on mathematics-related Economics concepts; the ministry of education and school authorities should make the use of flipped classroom and elaborative interrogation compulsory in teaching students in mixed school since they are gender friendly and improve students’ academic performance.