EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS ON WRITING ACHIEVEMENT OF UNDERGRADUATES IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI, NIGERIA

Abstract

Writing skills are taught to equip students with reading and literacy skills to solve communication problems. However, reports have shown that undergraduates‟ achievement in writing is poor in Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria, particularly in their general course in English language. This has been attributed to General Studies lecturers‟ methods of instruction. Previous studies focused largely on improving primary and secondary school students‟ achievement in writing, neglecting interventions towards improving such among undergraduates. This study, therefore, was carried out to determine the effects of integrated instructional methods (Response to text (RT), Activation of background knowledge (ABK) and Response to text + Activation of background knowledge (RTABK)) on undergraduates‟ achievement in writing in Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria. The moderating effects of gender and verbal ability were also examined. Jerome Bruner‟s Constructivist theory of learning, which assumes that personal experience and previous knowledge are important in the creation of meaning was adopted. The pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with 4x2x3 matrix was used. Four faculties (School of Health Technology, School of Biological Sciences, School of Science and School of Engineering) in Federal University of Technology Owerri were purposively selected based on the failure rate in the use of English course compared to other faculties. Also, these faculties were distant from one another. Four hundred and twenty-five Part One undergraduates were enumerated across the four faculties. Faculties were randomly assigned to RT (123), ABK (94), RTABK (83) and control (125) groups. The instruments used were Writing Achievement Test (r=0.83), Verbal Ability Scale (α=0.78), and instructional guides. Focus group discussions were held with four course representatives. The treatment lasted 5 weeks. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance, while qualitative data were content analysed. Undergraduates‟ age was 18.30 ± 2.60 years and 59.5% were males. The undergraduates‟ verbal ability (76.2%) was low. There was a significant main effect of treatment on writing achievement (F(3,421) = 41.79; partial η2 = 0.24). Undergraduates exposed to RTABK had the highest post mean achievement score (76.52), followed by RT (72.34), ABK (70.57), and control (59.54) groups. There were no significant main effects of gender and verbal ability on writing achievement. The two-way and three way interaction effects were not significant on writing achievement. The undergraduates were enthusiastic with the methods and wished their Use of English course lecturers should continually use the methods. Response to text, activation of background knowledge, and response to text + activation of background knowledge methods enhanced undergraduates‟ writing achievement in Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria. Use of English course lecturers should adopt these methods to improve undergraduate achievement in writing