EFFECTS OF JIGSAW INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY AND DISCUSSION METHOD ON STUDENTS' ATTITUDE TOWARDS BASIC SCIENCE IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the effects of jigsaw instructional strategy and discussion method on students' attitude towards Basic Science in Ekiti State, Nigeria. It also determined the effects of gender on students' attitudes. The study adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, control group design. The sample for the study comprised 172 selected Junior Secondary School Two (JSS II) students from the three Senatorial Districts in Ekiti State using multistage sampling procedures. Intact classes were used in each of the three schools selected for the study. The instruments used for the study were Basic Science Performance Test (BSPT) and Questionnaire on Attitude of Students towards Basic Science (QASBS). The reliability of each instrument was determined using split-half method. Reliability coefficients of 0.73 and 0.78 were obtained for BSPT and QASBS respectively. The experiment was carried out in three stages; the pretreatment stage, the treatment stage and posttreatment stage. One general question and three hypotheses were raised. Data collected were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential analyses. The research question was answered using mean, standard deviation and bar-charts. All hypotheses generated were tested using inferential statistics of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), t-test, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Post-hoc analyses were done where necessary using Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) and Scheffe's test. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results from the study revealed that both experimental strategies had positive effects on students' attitude towards Basic Science. The findings also revealed that both experimental instructional strategies were not gender sensitive. Based on the findings of this study, it was therefore recommended that, the conventional method commonly used in teaching Basic Sciences should be modified and improved upon by making lessons activity based.