Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies

The study determined the effects of gender and instructional strategy on Senior Secondary School Students’ Performance in Physics in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions and two hypotheses. It adopted a quasi-experimental research design, involving a sample of 192 senior secondary school students 2 (SSS2) which comprises of 95 male and 97 female students from a population of 3263 selected based on Multi-stage sampling procedure from three coeducational schools. The research instrument was Physics Performance Test which was used to obtain data for the students’ performance and was validated for content and face validity by experts in the field. The reliability coefficient of the instrument r = 0.89 obtained using Kuder-Richardson formula method (K-R 20). The students were taught physics using Meta-Conceptual Learning Strategy, Scaffolding Learning strategy and the Lecture Method. Mean ( ) and standard deviations ( ) were used in answering the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels. The study revealed that there is no significant difference between the performance of male and female students taught Physics. The study discovered that students that were taught Physics using Meta-Conceptual Learning strategy performed higher than any other strategies. The study also revealed that there was no significant difference between the performance of male and female students in Physics. The study found no significant joint effect of teaching strategy and gender on students’ performance in Physics. It was therefore recommended that Meta-Conceptual Learning strategy be used for effective teaching and learning in schools, then followed by Scaffolding learning strategy. Seminars and workshop should be organize for teachers and all stake holder in academic on the use of the innovative strategy (Meta-Conceptual and Scaffolding strategy).