EFFECTS OF ROBINSON'S SQ3R AND SUMMARIZATION TECHNIQUES IN IMPROVING COMPREHENSION AMONG SOME SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Poor comprehension ability was identified was identified as an instance of poor study habits leading to under-achievement. The study investigated the effectiveness of Robinson's SQ3R and Summarization study techniques in improving students' comprehension ability. The effects of the two strategies on students' attitudes to their subjects were also investigated. One hundred and forty-four JSS III Nigerian students drawn from two secondary schools in Ibadan were exposed to the treatment programmes. A 3x3 factorial design was adopted with the treatment and control groups occupying the rows and the three levels of mental ability - high, medium, and low - occupying the columns. Three instruments comprising the following were used: 1. Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices 2. Comprehension Tests (a) English Comprehension test, based on passages from "Faster Reading For Better Comprehension" by Dr. S.O. Ayodele, modified and validated by the experimenter. (b) Biology Comprehension test, designed and validated by the experimenter. 3. Attitude test: A slight modification of Aiken and Dreger's 1963 Attitude Scale (revised by Akinboye, 1974) was used to measure subjects' attitudes to (i) English Comprehension (ii) Biology. The data obtained were analyzed, using the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and t-test derived from the use of the Least Mean Squares and the Standard Error of Means. The six hypotheses tested and the results obtained were (i) There will be no significant difference in the comprehension ability of the treated subjects and the control This hypothesis was rejected as the treated subjects performed better in English Comprehension (F = 20.56; Df 4/135; P<0.05). The result also reported statistically significant differences in the columns (F= 19.14; Df 2/135; P< 0.001) and significant interaction (F= 12.35; Df 4/135; P< 0.05). This indicated that the mental ability of subjects was an important factor in the results obtained. (ii) There will be no significant difference in the Biology comprehension ability of the treated subjects and the control. This hypothesls was rejected: the treated subjects were superior in Biology comprehension (F = 41.77; Df 2/135; P<0.01). Here, too, the interaction between the rows and the columns was significant (F = 9.61; Df 4/135; P< 0.05). (iii) There will be no significant difference in the attitudes to English Comprehension and Biology of treated and untreated subjects. The test of this hypothesis revealed that the two treated groups exhibited better attitudes to English Comprehension and Biology than those in the control group (F = 10.96; Df 4/135; P< 0.5). (iv) There will be no significant difference in the English Comprehension ability of subjects exposed to SQ3R and those exposed to Summarization. The results showed that the SQ3R group performed better in English Comprehension than the Summarization group (t = 9.89; Df 94; P <.001). (v) There will be no significant difference in the Biology Comprehension of the SQ3R and Summarization groups. The results showed that the Summarization group scored higher in Biology Comprehension than the SQ3R group (t = 5.11; Df = 94; P< 0.001). There will be no significant difference in the attitudes to English Comprehension and Biology of the SQ3R and Summarization groups. This hypothesis, too, was rejected: The SQ3R group exhibited better attitudes to English Comprehension and Biology than the Summarization group (t = 3.63; df = 94; P < 0.001). Generally, the results of this study showed that students comprehension ability can be fostered if they are exposed to some useful techniques. Their attitudes to the academic subjects can also be improved. The educational implications of the findings were discussed, and some suggestions were made.