INFLUENCE OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING ON CREATIVITY IN SCIENCE-BASED SUBJECTS AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN LAGOS STATE

Abstract

This study examined the influence of self-directed learning on creativity in science-based subjects among
senior secondary school students in Lagos State. A quasi-experimental design was used to execute the study.
Two public secondary schools were randomly selected for the study. Eighty-nine (89) senior secondary
school class two students were purposefully selected from the two randomly selected public secondary
schools in the study area. The students selected from the two schools were assigned to two groups, in which
one group was assigned to experimental (48 students) and the other to control (41 students). The students in
the experimental group received training on self-directed learning for six weeks by the researcher. Data were
collected through the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking inventory, a widely used tool in educational
research that measures various aspects of creativity, with reliability coefficients of 0.75 and 0.83 for the pretest and post-test, respectively. The data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study
showed that the level of creativity among the students was above average; self-directed learning had a
significant favourable influence on the creativity of students, and there was no significant interaction between
gender and self-directed learning on creativity, implying that the effectiveness of self-directed learning
applies equally to both male and female students. These findings underscore the importance of self-directed
learning to enhance creativity in science education without being influenced by gender. Schools were
recommended to integrate self-directed learning approaches into the curriculum to further enhance students'
creativity, especially in science-based subjects. This can be achieved by designing activities that promote
autonomy, decision-making, and individual exploration.