Alexander Omuji Omuji, Uno Udop Uno & Ugar Sunday Ugbang
This study examined teachers’ perceptions and instructional strategies for social and emotional learning (SEL) as predictors of students’ learning outcomes in Religious Studies in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. An ex post facto research design was adopted. The population comprised 3,042 Junior Secondary School II (JSS II) students offering Religious Studies in 79 secondary schools. A multistage sampling procedure involving stratified, simple random, and systematic sampling techniques was used to select 304 students using Yamane’s formula. Data were collected using the Social and Emotional Learning and Learning Outcomes Questionnaire (SELLOQ) and Religious Studies Performance Test (RSPT). The instruments were validated by experts in Educational Research and Measurement. Reliability coefficients obtained using Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.70 to 0.89. Data were analysed using simple regression at 0.05 significant level. Findings revealed that teachers’ perceptions and instructional strategies significantly predicted students’ learning outcomes in Religious Studies. The study concluded that SEL significantly predicts students’ learning outcomes. It was recommended that government should organize seminars and workshops on SEL to enhance teachers’ understanding and application of SEL principles.