Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Self Directed Learning (SDL) Strategy and Simulation Technique (ST) on Students Interest in Social Studies at Upper Basic 11 in Kogi East Education Zone

This study investigated the comparative analysis of the effects of self directed learning strategy and simulation technique on students’ interest in social studies at upper basic 11 in Kogi east education zone of Kogi State. The study used gender as a moderating variable to compare the mean interest rating scores, of male and female at Upper Basic II when exposed to the treatment using self directed learning and simulation techniques. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study employed quasi experimental (pre-test, post-test and non equivalent groups) the sample consisted of 442 Upper Basic II Social Studies students, comprising 232 males (52.49%), and 210 females (47.51%) drawn from 6 intact classes of co-educational government public schools in the study area. The instruments for data collection were Social Studies Interest Questionnaires (SSIQ). The SSIQ was computed using cronbach alpha with reliability r= 0.77. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that students that were taught Social Studies using self directed learning exhibited higher positive interest, achievement and retention. That is f (1441) = 75.894; p=0.00