Crafting a Connection Between Teaching and Homework in a Social Studies Classroom: Pedagogical Implications for Learning Outcomes in Nigerian Primary Schools

This study examined the connection between classroom teaching and homework in Social Studies and its pedagogical implications for learning outcomes among primary school pupils in Nigeria. The study employed a quasi-experimental, control-group design. The study was conducted in Ikere Local Government Area, Ekiti State, South-Western Nigeria. The study population comprised 5,896 pupils in all public primary schools within the local government area. The sample comprised 180 pupils drawn from four primary schools. The nine schools were divided into three groups. One group was taught basic concepts in primary school Social Studies through classroom instruction, followed by homework to be submitted the next day, while the other group was taught without homework. The last group received no instruction or homework, but was given the pre-test and post-test achievement tests and a questionnaire on attitude toward Social Studies. The Social Studies Achievement Test was administered before the teaching session as the pre-test, and at the end of the nine-week treatment, the same Test was administered as the post-test. The Attitude to Social Studies questionnaire was also administered to the three groups. The study tested three null hypotheses at an alpha level of 0.05 using t-tests. The results showed that the group exposed to teaching followed by homework achieved higher Social Studies achievement and improved attitude toward the subject than the group without homework. Recommendations were made.