ABSTRACT

The study investigated the effect of individualized-Instructional method on students’ achievement in Business Studies in public Upper Basic Education schools in Imo State, Nigeria.  Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study.  The research adopted a non-randomized quasi-experimental design that involved pretest and posttest.  Population for the study was 7923 JSSII students from 53 co-educational public Upper Basic Education/ Junior Secondary Schools in Owerri Education Zone 1, Imo State, Nigeria.  Multi-stage Cluster sampling approach was used to select the zone. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used to select schools sample and 120 (UBE II) students sample. The sample was drawn from two intact classes in two co-educational Public Upper Basic Education schools offering Business Studies in Owerri Municipal and Owerri West LGA in Owerri Education Zone 1.  Instrument used for data collection was the Business Studies Achievement Test (BSAT) and its marking scheme.  Instrument was validated by five (5) specialists, two JSSII Business Studies teachers, one Business Educator, one in Measurement and Evaluation and one in Curriculum Studies. Reliability of BSAT was established at 0.91 using the Kuder-Richardson K-R₂₁ statistics.  Research questions were answered using means and standard deviations while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) F-test statistics. Findings of the study indicated that Students taught with individualized-Instructional teaching method achieved higher than students taught with lecture teaching method in Business Studies.   Teaching methods have significant effect on students’ achievement in Business Studies.    Male and female students taught with individualized instructional method achieved better than those taught with the lecture teaching method. There was significant interaction effect of teaching methods and gender on student’s achievement in Business Studies at post-test. Interaction effect of teaching method by location on students’ achievement in Business Studies was not significant. Researcher recommended that Business Studies teachers should use teaching methods such as individualized-Instructional method during lesson delivery for students’ high achievement in the subject. Teachers should use gender-friendly teaching methods such as individualized instructional method during teaching/learning activities to encourage all learners’ participation and learning, so as to promote high achievement in Business Studies.