EFFECT OF DRAMA METHOD ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMEMENT AND INTEREST IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE (CRK) IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

This study investigated the effect of drama method on students’ academic achievement and interest in Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state. Five research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study was all the senior secondary two (SS11) students that were offering CRK in public co-educational secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area with an estimated number of 1,328 students. A sample of 115 students from two schools that were randomly selected from public co-educational secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State participated in the study. The instruments for data collection were Christian Religious Knowledge Achievement Test (CRKAT) and Christian Religious Knowledge Interest Inventory (CRKII). The instruments were validated by experts. The instruments were trial tested to determine the internal consistencies of the instruments. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to calculate the reliability index coefficient of the CRKII and Kuder Richardson Formula 20 (KR20) was used to calculate the reliability index coefficient of the CRKAT respectively. The reliability index coefficient of the CRKII was 0.83 while the overall reliability index coefficient of CRKAT (40 items) was 0.66. Mean scores and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results of the study revealed that students taught with drama method of teaching performed better than those taught with lecture method. The results of the findings further showed that the students taught CRK with drama method developed higher interest in the subject than those students taught with lecture method. The study has educational implications to students, teachers, curriculum planners, textbook writers and school administrators. The study recommended that teachers should embrace the use of drama method of teaching in the instructional delivery among others. Suggestions for further studies were stated and limitations of the study were highlighted.