Effects of Scaffolding Approach on Senior Secondary School Two Students’ Performance in Qualitative Analysis in Jos North, Plateau State

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of the scaffolding approach on students’ performance in qualitative analysis in Jos North. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design with a non-randomized and non-equivalent pre-test and post-test. The population for the study comprised all 22 public secondary schools located in Jos North, totaling 1, 585 students. A simple random sampling technique was used to sample 98students from the population. The Qualitative Analysis Performance Test instrument with 0.92 reliability coefficient was used for collecting data. The method of data analysis adopted by the study includes descriptive statistics and ANCOVA, for answering the two research questions and testing the two null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The research findings revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean performance scores between students instructed in qualitative analysis through the scaffolding approach and those taught using the lecture method, favoring the experimental group. Additionally, the investigation unveiled that gender did not exert any discernible influence on the performance of students. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that educators integrate the scaffolding approach into the teaching of qualitative analysis as its unequivocal efficacy in enhancing students' performance surpasses the outcomes obtained through the lecture method.