Research Article

EFFECT OF ROLE-PLAY AND SIMULATION ON STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARD INHERITANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN EDO STATE

Osagie Eguagie1*
1 Department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
* Corresponding author: osagie.eguagie@uniben.edu
Published: Jun, 2026
Pages: 244-254
Views: 19
Downloads: 19

Abstract

This study examined the effect of role-play and simulation instructional strategies on students’ knowledge andattitudes toward inheritance concepts in Social Studies in Edo State. The study adopted a 3 × 2 × 2 factorialpretest–posttest non-equivalent control group design structured into instructional strategies (role-play, simulation,and conventional teaching), sex (male and female), and measurement phases (pretest and posttest). The populationcomprised all Junior Secondary School II (JSS II) students offering Social Studies in public secondary schools inEdo State. A sample of 422 students was selected through a multistage sampling technique from four publicsecondary schools across three local government areas. Intact classes were used to avoid disruption of normalclassroom activities. The instrument for data collection was the Inheritance Knowledge and Attitude Test (Ikat)developed by the researcher. The instrument consisted of a 40-item multiple-choice test measuring students’knowledge of inheritance concepts and a 20-item Likert-scale questionnaire measuring students’ attitudes towardinheritance. The instrument was validated by three experts in Social Studies Education and Measurement andEvaluation. A pilot study involving 30 students outside the sampled schools produced reliability coefficients of0.86 using Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) for the knowledge test and 0.84 using Cronbach’s alpha forthe attitude scale. Data collection lasted six weeks and involved pretest, treatment, and posttest administration.Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions, while paired sample t-test, ANOVA, andANCOVA were used to test hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that simulationand role-play strategies significantly improved students’ knowledge and attitudes toward inheritance conceptscompared with the conventional method. Simulation produced the highest knowledge gain, while role-playrecorded the highest improvement in attitude. Sex significantly influenced knowledge but had no significant effecton students’ attitudes. The study concluded that learner-centred strategies enhance meaningful learning in SocialStudies.

Keywords

Role-play Simulation Inheritance Concepts Knowledge Attitude Social Studies.

References

  1. Abdulai, I. (2020). Social studies teachers’ instructional techniques knowledge and its impact on learners’ attitudes, values and skills in senior high schools. Social Studies Research Journal, 7(2), 45–60.
  2. Afolabi, A. A., & Okunloye, R. W. (2024). Effects of role-play and guided-inquiry strategies on the performance of upper basic social studies students. African Journal of Educational Management, 25(1), 12–36.
  3. Akudo, F. U. (2025). Teachers’ utilization of computer animation for managing pre-primary school pupils’ social skills in Delta State. African Journal of Educational Management, Teaching and Entrepreneurship Studies, 5(1), 88–101.
  4. Aladwan, S. (2024). The effectiveness of using role play strategy in teaching history for sixth-grade students. Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture, 8(1), 141–156.
  5. Amuah, U. (2021). Assessing the pedagogical content knowledge of religious and moral education teachers at basic schools in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality (Master’s thesis). University of Cape Coast.
  6. Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2021). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing. Pearson.
  7. Banet, E., & Ayuso, E. (2000). Teaching genetics at secondary school: A strategy for teaching about the location of inheritance information. Science Education, 84(3), 313–351.
  8. Bizimana, E., Mutangana, D., & Mwesigye, A. (2022). Enhancing students’ attitude towards biology using concept mapping and cooperative mastery learning instructional strategies: Implication on gender. LUMAT: International Journal on Math, Science and Technology Education, 10(1), 242–266.
  9. Cochran, D. J. (2015). Drama and history: Teaching historical thinking through role-play (Doctoral dissertation). University of Wisconsin–Madison.
  10. Gbindé, T., Shamija, A., & Garba, F. (2025). Effects of role-play and service-learning strategies on students’ attitude and academic performance in social studies. BSU Journal of Education, 25(2), 102–115.
  11. Hattie, J. (2020). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.
  12. Jones, J. C., & Washko, S. (2022). More than fun in the sun: The pedagogy of field trips improves student learning in higher education. Journal of Geoscience Education, 70(3), 292–305.
  13. Lawani, E. (2025). Effects of two modes of digital storytelling instructional strategies on pupils’ achievement and attitude towards Social Studies in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. Preprints, 2025(1), 1–21.
  14. Nathasabila, N., & Ratnawati, N. (2025). The effect of historical thinking-based role playing on local history learning outcomes. Jurnal Pendidikan Ilmu Sosial, 34(1), 55–66.
  15. Nkok, E., & Anietie, E. (2022). Interaction effect of gender and teaching methods on students’ interest, achievement and retention in sexual reproduction in plant. International Journal of Innovative Social & Science Education Research, 10(4), 56–65.
  16. Oba, A. I., Mahmud, W. A., & Mustapha, Y. (2020). Availability of, attitude and proficiency of agricultural science teachers in the use of information and communication technology in Dutse Metropolis, Jigawa State. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 13(1), 34–43.
  17. Obro, S., Ogheneakoke, C. E., & Akpochafo, W. P. (2022). Effective social studies pedagogy: Effect of simulation games and brainstorming strategies on students’ learning outcome. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(3), 1–13.
  18. Ojo, A. T. (2025). Situated learning and biology education: Effects of constructive controversy strategy on genetics self-efficacy on secondary school students’ attitude to genetics concepts. Cadernos de Educação Tecnologia e Sociedade, 18(3), 747–763.
  19. Ojokpo, B. A. (2019). Effects of fantasy and role-play instructional strategies on primary two pupils’ acquisition of expressive and social skills (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
  20. Onyekpe, S. J., & Ogbemudiare, B. (2025). Effectiveness of field trip learning instructional strategy on achievement in Social Studies among primary school pupils in Delta State. Kontagora International Journal of Educational Research, 2(1), 308–323.
  21. Pacaci, C., Ustun, U., & Ozdemir, O. F. (2024). Effectiveness of conceptual change strategies in science education: A meta-analysis. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 61(6), 1263–1325.
  22. Reilly, D., Neumann, D. L., & Andrews, G. (2022). Gender differences in academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 148(1), 1–26.
  23. Rippon, G., Jordan-Young, R., Kaiser, A., & Fine, C. (2023). Recommendations for sex/gender neuroimaging research: Key principles and implications for research design. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17, Article 682782.
  24. Schunk, D. H. (2020). Learning theories: An educational perspective (8th ed.). Pearson.
  25. Shuaib, S. B., Adesanya, E. O., Oba, A. I., Afolabi, K. O., & Jimoh, S. B. (2023). Assessing agricultural literacy among senior school students in Kwara, Nigeria: Implication for educational interventions. Indonesian Journal of Curriculum and Educational Technology Studies, 11(1), 1–8.
  26. Ukanah, I. A. (2023). The effectiveness of an activity-based education technique using a role-playing analogy in improving students’ conceptual grasp of hydrocarbon. Educational Practice Journal, 1(1), 45–59.
  27. Westbrook, L., & Schilt, K. (2022). Distinguishing between sex and gender: History, current conceptualizations, and implications. Gender & Society, 36(3), 421–447.
  28. Wood, W., & Eagly, A. H. (2020). Biosocial construction of sex differences and similarities in behavior. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 62, 1–60.
How to Cite

Eguagie, O. (2026). EFFECT OF ROLE-PLAY AND SIMULATION ON STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARD INHERITANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN EDO STATE. Journal of Educational Research and Development, 21(1), 244-254.

O. Eguagie, "EFFECT OF ROLE-PLAY AND SIMULATION ON STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARD INHERITANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN EDO STATE," Journal of Educational Research and Development, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 244-254, June 2026.

Share this article:
Facebook X / Twitter LinkedIn
Download PDF View Full Text (PDF) Back to Articles