Title:
EFFECTS OF MERRILL’S FIRST PRINCIPLES, GAGNE’S NINE-EVENT INSTRUCTIONAL MODELS AND LECTURE METHOD ON MATHEMATICS STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN DELTA STATE

Authors:
ERAVWOKE, Erhijere, AJAJA, Osawaru Patrick and KPANGBAN, Emperor

Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of Merrill's first principles of instruction, Gagne's nine-event Instructional strategy and Lecture method on students' achievement scores. For the study, three research questions were raised and three hypotheses formulated. The study adopted a 3×2×2 factorial planned variations quasi-experimental design. The design consisted of three instructional models (Merrill's first principles of instruction, Gagne's nine-event instructional models, and lecture method), sex (male and female) and repeated testing (Pre-test and post-test). The variables for the study included: Merrill's first principles of instruction, Gagne's nine-event instructional models, and lecture method as independent variables, achievement scores as dependent variables and sex as intervening variables. The sample for the study consisted of 318 students from six secondary schools sampled from schools in Delta State. The instrument for data collection was the Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT). The instrument was properly validated and reliability determined before it was used. A reliability coefficient value of 0.82 was obtained after data collected was analyzed using Kuder-Richardson formula 21. Data collected for the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics of the mean, standard deviation and the hypotheses were tested using inferential statistics of independent sample t-test, ANOVA and ANCOVA. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The findings of the study included the following: (i) a significant difference in the mean achievement scores of Mathematics students taught with Merrill’s first principles, Gagne’s nine-event Instructional Models and Lecture Method (ii) no significant difference in the mean achievement test scores of male and female Mathematics students taught with Merrill’s first principles, Gagne’s nineevent Instructional Models and Lecture Method (ii) no significant interaction effect between methods and sex on mathematics students achievement. As a result of the findings, it was concluded that Merrill’s first principles, Gagne’s nine-event Instructional Models are more effective in teaching mathematics when compared with lecture method and it is recommended that teachers and students should be properly trained to acquire the skills on usage of Merrill’s first principles of instruction and Gagne’s nine-events of instruction model and be encouraged to apply them when teaching and learning mathematics.

Keywords:
Principle, instruction, instructional strategy, Merrill’s First Principles, Gagne’s NineEvent Instructional Models, and achievement

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37500/IJESSR.2025.8510

Date of Publication: 18-09-2025