Reflective Discourse Instructional Strategy, Gender and Age Effects on University Students’ Citizenship Knowledge in Nigeria

Abstract

Citizenship education as a conscious process of inculcating certain values, habits and attitudes which the society considers desirable and essential for its survival as a unit and for its overall development. The traditional methods such as lecture method, talk-chalk method, note-taking method, and the likes, the school system at all levels has not been able to achieve the national educational objectives as well as the objectives of citizenship education in Nigeria. In order to inculcate desirable socio-political values in the students, especially those at tertiary level, there is need for teaching strategies that would re-orientate and re-focus students’ thinking pattern, such that they will see the need to change positively and live as well-informed and responsible citizens. study determined the effects of reflective discourse instructional strategy on undergraduates’ citizenship knowledge in southwest, Nigeria. The study also determined the moderating effect of age and gender on students’ citizenship knowledge. The study adopted a pretest-posttest, control group, quasi-experimental research design with 2x2x2 factorial matrix. Using total enumeration sampling technique, 511 participants who were 300 level social studies undergraduate students were selected from intact social studies classes in six purposively selected universities in South-west Nigeria.  The results of the finding revealed a significant main effect of treatments on students’ knowledge of citizenship education concepts (F_(2,498) = 56.89, P >.05, µ² = .19 ). The finding showed that reflective discourse instructional strategies enhanced students’ knowledge more than the modified lectured method. The reflective discourse instructional strategy increased learners’ knowledge of citizenship education concepts. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that reflective discourse should be used by teachers to teach concepts in social studies. To do this, teachers should always organize lessons to encourage active listening and reflection of students. Students should also be opened to alternative viewpoints by engaging in dialogue, peer-explanation, group discussion, brainstorming and collaborative activities. Collaboration should also be emphasized in learning rather than individualism.