Effect of Heuristic Teaching Approach on Students Performance in Economics in Senior Secondary Schools in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

The contents of senior secondary education curricula in Nigeria are rich and the objectives are attainable, but there are some short falls in the implementation process. This led to suboptimal academic performance by the majority of Economics students at the senior secondary school level that has largely been cited to be the consequences of ineffective teaching methods applied by teachers. Consequently, the objectives of the study were: to examine the effect of heuristic approach on students’ performance in Economics in senior secondary schools in Kano State and ascertain the effects of heuristic approach on students’ retention ability in Economics in senior secondary schools in Kano State. Two null hypotheses were formulated in line with these objectives. The design for this research was quasi-experimental. The population of the study was the entire students of Senior Secondary Schools Two (SSII) in Kano State that are offering Economics. The One hundred and twenty-seven (127) SSII Economics students found intact in two (2) senior secondary schools in the Dawakin-Kudu zone, was the sample size for this study. The instrument used for data gathering for both post-test and retention-test in this research was Economics Performance Test (ECOPERTES). The null hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of` significance. Findings revealed that: heuristic approach is effective for teaching Economics in senior secondary schools in Kano State. Moreover, students taught Economics using heuristic approach retained knowledge. It was recommended that the Federal and the State Government, the professional bodies like the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the Economics Teachers Associations should sensitize Economics teachers (through seminars and workshops) on the efficacy of heuristic approach in teaching Economics. Inspectors from Kano Educational Resource Department (KERD) and Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) should encourage the Economics teachers to use heuristic approach in teaching Economics in senior secondary schools because the approach will help them to elicit the expected learning in Economics easily. The Government, in conjunction with curriculum developers and Economics teachers, should establish Economics resource centers in each educational zone of the State for the procurement and storage of relevant heuristic approach instructional materials.