Efficacy of Enrichment Triad and Self-Direct Models on Academic Achievement of Gifted Students in Selected Secondary Schools in Nigeria.

Abstract

Questions about gifted learners and the best way to teach them to face expected challenges is often a source of controversy. This is because old stereotype curriculum and conventional instructional strategies may not be enough to give the needed stimulation. Considering the enormity of what is expected to reinforce the education of the gifted, this study investigated the efficacy of Enrichment Triad and Self-Directed learning models on the academic achievement of selected gifted students in some secondary schools in Nigeria. The study used the pre-test, posttest, control group quasi-experiment design in a 3 x 2 factorial matrix. The subjects for the study consisted of 75 Senior Secondary School gifted students from eight secondary schools in Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was utilized for the selection of the participants, which were randomly assigned into three experimental groups. Analysis of Covariance was the main statistical method utilized to test two generated hypotheses at the probability level of 0.05. The findings revealed that there was significant treatment effect on subjects' post-test academic achievement scores. There was no significant main effect of gender. The study also indicated that gifted male subjects exposed to Enrichment Trial and Self-Directed models had higher mean score (x = 80.93) than their female counterparts exposed to the same treatment. Since the Enrichment Triad and SelfDirected models are capable of facilitating gifted students' educational programmes, it is therefore recommended that both regular and special educators should use these models in facilitating the academic achievement for their gifted students.