Authors : U. U. Nkulo; J. I. Ukagwu; V. N. Acholonu; J. I. Offor

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 8 - August

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mrya2hdh

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26aug1568

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This study investigated the effects of practical teaching strategies on the academic performance of secondary school students in Agricultural Science in Imo State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by concerns about students' poor performance in Agricultural Science and the continued reliance on theoretical teaching methods in many secondary schools. A quasi-experimental research design involving pre-test, post-test, and control group arrangements was adopted. The study was conducted in Owerri Education Zones I and II, with a sample of 120 students comprising 60 males and 60 females drawn from four coeducational secondary schools. The experimental groups were exposed to practical teaching strategies, with particular emphasis on interactive practical learning and practical demonstrations using farming tools, while the control group was taught using the traditional theoretical classroom method. Data were collected using the Agricultural Science Achievement Test (ASAT), consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions based on the senior secondary school Agricultural Science curriculum. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicated that students exposed to interactive practical learning achieved higher mean post-test scores than those taught using the traditional theoretical method, with the difference being statistically significant. The findings also showed that both male and female students benefited from practical demonstrations with farming tools, with no statistically significant difference in their achievement scores. The study concluded that practical teaching strategies, particularly interactive practical learning and practical demonstrations, are more effective than traditional theoretical teaching in improving students' academic performance in Agricultural Science. It was recommended that Agricultural Science teachers should integrate practical-oriented instructional approaches into classroom teaching and that schools should provide adequate facilities, farming tools, and opportunities for practical learning.

Keywords : Agricultural Science, Practical Teaching Strategies, Interactive Learning, Academic Performance, Secondary Schools, Imo State.

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