Independent Learning vs. Explicit Instruction: A Comparative Study on the Academic Performance of Grade 10 Students

Abstract

Instructional approaches play a vital role in shaping students' academic achievement. While independent learning promotes self-directed learning and autonomy, explicit instruction provides structured guidance and systematic teaching. This study compared the effects of independent learning and explicit instruction on the academic performance of Grade 10 students at Notre Dame University–Junior High School (NDU-JHS), Cotabato City, BARMM, Philippines. Guided by Constructivist Learning Theory and Behaviorism Theory, the study aimed to determine the academic performance of students exposed to the two instructional approaches and identify whether significant differences existed within and between the groups. The study employed a quantitative approach utilizing a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest design. Two intact Grade 10 sections participated in the study, consisting of 37 students exposed to independent learning and 33 students exposed to explicit instruction, for a total of 70 respondents. Researcher-developed parallel-form pre-tests and post-tests were administered before and after a six-week intervention period. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, dependent samples t-test, and independent samples t-test at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that both independent learning and explicit instruction significantly improved the academic performance of Grade 10 students. Students exposed to independent learning improved from “Did not meet expectation” to “Satisfactory,” while students exposed to explicit instruction also demonstrated improvement, although their post-test performance remained under the “Did not meet expectation” category. Furthermore, results indicated no statistically significant difference between the two instructional approaches. The study concluded that both independent learning and explicit instruction are effective instructional strategies that contribute to improved academic performance and may be integrated to support diverse learning needs among students.