ABSTRACT
This study investigated the comparative effects of concept mapping and inquiry methods of teaching on the academic achievement and creativity of Colleges of Education physics students in the North-East Nigeria. The study was a pretest-posttest experimental match group design. The population of the study consisted of two hundred and forty-seven (247) physics students from seven state Colleges of Education in the North-East Zone. Two out of the seven colleges were sampled using simple random sampling technique by flipping a coin, the two colleges were designated experimental group 1 (E1), and experimental group 2, (E2). Intact class were used for the study. The two groups were subjected to a treatment for six weeks each. Thirty-three (33) students were used in experimental group (E1) and thirty-four (34) were used in experimental group 2 (E2). Physics Achievement Test (PAT) was used to measure their academic achievement while Ibadan Creativity Assessment Scale (ICAS) was used to measure their creativity. two (2) research questions and a corresponding two (2) null hypotheses were raised with a view to finding out if there was any significant difference in the academic achievement and creativity of the students taught physics concepts using concept mapping and inquiry strategies of teaching respectively. The first hypothesis was tested using t-test statistic while the second hypothesis was tested using two-ways analysis of variance. Both hypotheses were tested at P ≤ 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that there was no significant difference between both groups in their academic achievement after treatment. The study also found no significant difference between the two groups in their creativity traits. It was concluded that innovative teaching strategies enhances students' academic achievement and creativity, and teachers should be trained in the use of learner-centred instructional strategies such as concept mapping and inquiry strategies of teaching is one of the recommendations made.