Drill-and-Practice, Peer-Tutoring Instructional Strategies and Students’ Academic Performance in Mathematics in Ikono Local Government Area

Abstract

This study examined the effects of drill and practice, peer tutoring, and conventional expository instruction on junior secondary school students’ academic performance in algebra. A quasi experimental pre test post test design was employed with 259 students from six public schools in Ikono Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The three instructional groups (drill and practice, peer tutoring, and expository) were taught the same algebra content over six weeks. The Mathematics Performance Test in Algebra (MPTA), a 20 item multiple choice instrument (KR 20 = 0.78), served as the pre test and post test. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with pre test scores as the covariate, revealed a statistically significant main effect of instructional method, F(2, 255) = 573.45, p < .001, partial η² = 0.818. Pairwise comparisons showed that peer tutoring produced the highest adjusted post test scores, followed by drill and practice, while the conventional method yielded the lowest scores. Importantly, no significant gender differences were found within either the peer tutoring or drill and practice groups, indicating that both strategies are equally effective for male and female students. The study concludes that peer tutoring is the most powerful instructional strategy for enhancing algebraic achievement, and both innovative strategies outperform conventional teaching. Recommendations include the systematic adoption of peer tutoring and drill and practice in mathematics classrooms, supported by teacher training and curriculum revision.