The study examined the effect of group dynamics and visual clue teaching strategies on the academic performance of students of different cognitive abilities in secondary school (SSII) physics in Benue State. The quasi-experimental research design was adopted. It was a pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group design. The study population was 1,920 SSII Physics students from 48 Secondary Schools in Makurdi metropolis. The study sample of 157 was drawn from the population through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Two research instruments named Physics Students’ Performance Test (PSPT) and Students’ Cognitive Ability Test (SCAT) were used for the study with reliability coefficients of 0.931 and 0.883, respectively. Data were obtained through the administration of pre-test and post-test on SSII students of the selected schools. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions. The null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). It is found that there is significant difference between the mean academic performance of students taught Physics using group dynamics strategy, visual strategy and conventional strategy; there is significant difference in the mean ability (i.e low, moderate and high) of students when group dynamics strategy was used in teaching Physics; there is significant difference in the mean ability (i.e low, moderate and high) of students when visual clue strategy was used in teaching Physics; and there is significant difference between the interaction effect of strategies and cognitive abilities on academic performance of students in Physics. On the basis of these findings, the study recommended among others that since the interaction effect of strategies and cognitive abilities on academic performance of students in Physics was not significant, the use of both strategies (group dynamics and visual clue) could be useful in fostering the academic performance of students with different cognitive abilities. The Physics teacher should therefore professionally use both strategies in teaching students in a manner that would enhance students’ performance.
Citation: Achor E.E., and Ngbea P.M. (2022) Fostering Academic Performance of Students of Different Cognitive Abilities in Secondary School Physics Using Group Dynamics and Visual Clue Strategies, International Journal of Education, Learning and Development, Vol. 10, No.10, pp.74-90
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Demonstration, cognitive abilities., group dynamics, visual clue
