Moderating Effect of Gender on Academic Performance of Social Studies Students: Utilizing Graphics and Pictures

Abstract

The study investigated the moderating effect of gender on academic performance of upper basic social studies students in Delta State, using graphics and pictures as visual teaching aids. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated and tested using a quasi-experimental research design. A sample of 40 male and 75 female upper basic 8 students of Social Studies from two mixed schools were selected using purposive sampling techniques. The population comprised of 6,912 students across 6 public upper-basic schools in Delta Central Senatorial district. The instrument used for data collection was an academic performance test called the “Social Studies Students Performance Test” (SSSPT), which demonstrated good validity and reliability. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to answer research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was employed for hypotheses testing at a significance level of 0. 05. The study found a significant moderating effect of students' gender on graphics, as a p-value of 0.005 which is lower than the significant level of 0.05 was reported, therefore the null hypothesis was rejected. However, for pictures, a p-value of 0.488 which is higher than 0.05 significant level was reported, therefore the null hypothesis was accepted. Based on the findings, the study recommended that social studies teachers should consider gender when incorporating graphics into social studies instructions in upper basic schools. The study contributed to knowledge by establishing that graphics is moderated by gender and academic performance and demonstrated that the use of graphics is influenced by gender, while the use of pictures is not affected by gender.