EFFECT OF PROCESS-BASED TEACHING METHOD ON THE ACADEMIC ACHEIVEMENT, RETENTION AND ATTITUDES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS TOWARDS SCIENCE IN ANAMBRA STATE.
SOURCE:
Faculty: Education
Department: Science Education
CONTRIBUTORS:
Okeke, M. E.
Okeke, S. O. C.
ABSTRACT:
This study investigated the effect of process-based teaching method on academic achievement, retention and attitude of primary school pupils towards Science in Anambra state. The academic achievement, attitude and retention of Basic Science concepts of male and female pupils taught with process-based method were compared with those taught with conventional method. Six research questions and six hypotheses guided the research. A non – equivalent control group design was used. Two groups (Experimental and Control) made up of two hundred and fifty six (256) pupils were used. Before treatment was given, they were pretested with Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT) and Science and Technology Attitude Scale (STAS). After six weeks of teaching, they were post-tested with BSAT and STAS, though the items positions were juxtaposed to make it look different from the pretest. Fifty-six days after the post test was given, the items position of BSAT were rearranged again and administered as retention test to the pupils. Mean scores were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis showed that pupils taught Basic Science using process-based method performed better than those taught with conventional method in achievement, retention and attitude scores. Gender had no significant effect on pupils’ achievement, retention and attitude scores. This implies that Basic Science teachers should adopt the use of process-based method in teaching Basic Science to pupils, since it seemed to be effective in improving academic achievement, attitude and retention of Basic Science concepts. It is recommended that seminars, workshops and conferences should be organized to train teachers on the use of process-based method bearing in mind that it will enhance pupils’ achievement, retention of Basic Science concepts and development of positive attitude towards science.