EFFECT OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ SKILL ACQUISITION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ENGAGEMENT IN HOME ECONOMICS IN UMUAHIA NORTH LGA OF ABIA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of Project-Based Learning (PBL) strategy on students’ skill acquisition and entrepreneurial engagement in Home Economics among Junior Secondary II (JSS II) students in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. The study adopted a pretest–posttest non-equivalent quasi-experimental design involving 76 students purposively selected from two public secondary schools. One intact class (n = 40) was taught using the PBL strategy (experimental group), while another class (n = 36) received conventional lecture instruction (control group). Data were collected using a structured Home Economics Achievement Test (HMAT), which was face and content validated by three experts and had a reliability coefficient of 0.76. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at a 0.05 level of significance, with pretest scores serving as covariates. The findings revealed that students exposed to PBL demonstrated higher posttest mean scores and mean gains in both skill acquisition (X̅ = 25.20; gain = 12.30) and entrepreneurial engagement (X̅ = 23.10; gain = 12.30) compared to those taught with the lecture method (skill: X̅ = 18.50; gain = 5.50; entrepreneurial engagement: X̅ = 16.40; gain = 5.50). ANCOVA results confirmed that these differences were statistically significant (skill acquisition: F = 252.20, p < 0.05; entrepreneurial engagement: F = 237.20, p < 0.05). The study concluded that Project-Based Learning is a highly effective instructional strategy for enhancing practical skills and fostering entrepreneurial engagement among secondary school students in Home Economics. It recommended that Home Economics teachers should implement Project-Based Learning (PBL) strategies in the classroom to improve students’ practical skills and entrepreneurial engagement.