MODERATING EFFECTS OF GENDER ON INTEREST AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT: EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ONITSHA ZONE, ANAMBRA STATE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/bvq57t39Keywords:
Diagnostic Assessment, Interest, Academic Achievement, Economics Education, GenderAbstract
Student interest and academic achievement are vital indicators of learning effectiveness in Economics education. In Nigeria, persistent low achievement and declining interest in Economics among secondary school students continue to raise concerns for educators and policymakers. This study investigated the effect of diagnostic assessment on students’ interest and academic achievement in Economics among public secondary schools in the Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, specifically the pretest–posttest equivalent group design. The population consisted of 3,938 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students offering Economics, from which a sample of 150 students was selected using multistage sampling to ensure gender balance. Three validated instruments; the Economics Diagnostic Pre-Test (EDPT), Economics Achievement Test (EAT), and Economics Interest Scale (EIS) were used for data collection, with strong reliability coefficients. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that diagnostic assessment had a significant positive effect on students’ interest and academic achievement in Economics. However, gender and the interaction between diagnostic assessment and gender had no significant effects on students’ interest or achievement. These results suggest that diagnostic assessment enhances learning outcomes in a gender-inclusive manner by providing feedback-driven, personalized learning experiences. The study concludes that incorporating diagnostic assessment strategies in Economics instruction promotes student engagement and academic success. It recommends that Economics teachers, curriculum planners, and policymakers integrate diagnostic assessment practices into classroom instruction to improve learning quality and equity in Nigerian secondary schools.
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