EXTENT OF UTILIZATION OF INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING OF CIVIC EDUCATION IN PUBLIC JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated the extent of utilization on innovative strategies in effective teaching of civic education in public junior secondary schools in Anambra State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study was carried out in the six Education zones of Anambra State. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised all the 289 civic education teachers in junior public secondary schools in Anambra State. Census survey method was employed to select a sample size of 289 respondents. The instruments used for data collection were researcher's structured questionnaires titled Innovative Strategies in Teaching of Civic Education Questionnaire (ISTCEQ) and Teaching of Civic Education Questionnaire (TCEQ). The instruments were face and construct validated by three experts. One in measurements and evaluation units and two in Arts and Social Sciences Education Department, Faculty of Education, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, Anambra State.  The reliability of the instruments was determined using Cronbach Alpha and it yield overall coefficient of 0.82. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviations while hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using independent sample t-test statistics. Results of the research revealed that activity-based teaching strategy was utilized by urban and rural civic education teachers in public junior secondary schools in Anambra State to a low extent. The study also found that E-learning teaching strategy was utilized by civic education teachers in public junior secondary schools in Anambra State to a low extent. This study has exposed civic education teachers to the effectiveness of innovative teaching strategies such as Activity-Based Teaching and E-learning Teaching strategies for effective classroom delivery. This study also serves as a reference point for state ministries of education towards understanding the need to incorporate these innovative strategies in her curriculum and put necessary resources and mechanisms in place for effective implementation at Junior and senior secondary school levels.