EFFECT OF ADVANCED ORGANIZER METHOD ON INTEREST, PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION IN SOCIAL STUDIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, NORTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the Advanced Organizer method on interest, performance, and retention in Social Studies among secondary school students in Northwest Nigeria. The research design employed for the study was a mixed design, incorporating pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental, and descriptive survey designs. The study population comprised all secondary school students in the North West Zone of Nigeria enrolled in social studies programs, totaling 371,998. A multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 107 social studies students for the study. Two research instruments were utilized: the Social Studies Performance Test (SPT), with a reliability index of 0.79, and a Social Studies Interest Scale (SSIS), developed by the researcher to gauge student interest in social studies, possessing a reliability coefficient of 0.81. The findings revealed that students taught using the advanced organizer method exhibited higher interest, significantly better performance, and greater retention in social studies compared to those taught using traditional methods. The study concluded that the Advanced Organizer method is highly effective for teaching and learning social studies. It was recommended, among other suggestions, that principals and school administrators prioritize the implementation of the advanced organizer method in the social studies curriculum, as it yields superior performance outcomes compared to other teaching methods.