Influence of Optimistic Guided Inquiry and Expository Methods on Students' Interest and Achievement in Basic Science, In Junior Secondary Schools Abuja, Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of optimistic guided inquiry and expository method on academic interest and achievement in Basic Science in junior secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A total of one hundred and eight (108) participants were drawn from the sampled schools. A self-designed Basic Science Interest Scale (BSIS) and Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT) were used to elicit responses from the participants. The instruments were subjected to face and content validity and test-retest reliability evaluation and were found to be reliable at index of 0.74 and 0.84. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using students T-test at at 0.05 level of significance. The result shown that mean pretest scores of the experimental and control groups used for the study were insignificant. The mean posttest scores show a wide difference. There is a significant difference between the achievements of students taught with guided inquiry and those taught with expository method in favour of guided inquiry. Guided inquiry proved more effective than expository method in enhancing academic achievement in Basic Science. It is therefore recommended that Classroom teachers, educational psychologists, school administrators, educational planners and counselors should therefore embraced the use of optimistic guided inquiry method of teaching in the classroom.