Abstract

Energy crises and overdependence on fossil fuels are challenges facing the world. Proper education on alternative sources of energy will solve these problems. The conventional lecture methods used by most physics teachers to teach physics do not facilitate meaningful learning therefore, this study determined the effects of interactive engagement and interactive invention instructional strategies on students’ meaningful learning of solar energy. A pre-test post-test control group quasi-experimental design was used and three senior secondary schools were randomly selected from Ibadan North L.G.A. and randomly assigned to treatment. Intact classes and a total of 135 students participated. Treatment groups were taught using interactive engagement and interactive-invention instructional strategies, while control groups were taught with the conventional lecture method. Physics Achievement Worksheets (PAW), Physics Students’ Attitude Questionnaire (PSAQ) and Physics Students’ Self-confidence Questionnaire (PSSQ) were structured used to gather data. Data was analysed using ANCOVA and the results showed significant main effect of treatments on students’ achievement in solar energy (F (2, 134) = 88.00; p<0.05, partial η2 = 0.61), and a significant main effect of students’ attitude on their achievement in solar energy (F (1, 134) = 5.80; p<0.05, partial η2 = 0.49). It is concluded that Interactive engagement and interactive-invention instructional strategies improve students’ achievement in solar energy. Students’ attitude was also found to affect their achievement in solar energy significantly. It is recommended that physics teachers teach with these strategies. Government should equip teachers with the latest research in pedagogy to properly equip them for the 21st-century classroom.