EFFECT OF CONSTRUCTIVIST BASED TEACHING STRATEGY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN INTEGRATED SCIENCE

EFFECT OFCONSTRUCTIVIST BASED TEACHING STRATEGY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIORSECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN INTEGRATED SCIENCE

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the relative effect of constructivist based teaching strategy on academic performance of junior secondary school students in integrated science. Four (4) Junior Secondary Schools were randomly selected for the study. In all a total of 120 junior secondary school students participated in this study. The instruments used for data collection are instructional package with the use of constructivist based teaching strategy and traditional instructional strategy and Integrated science achievement test (ISAT).The data obtained for the study were analyzed using SPSS 14.00 package and T-test statistics to test the four (4) research questions as well as the four (4) hypotheses generated for this study at 0.05 level of significant. The findings revealed that:there is a significant difference in achievement test scores between students instructed with constructivist-based teaching strategy and those taught using traditional classroom teaching method.Based on the findings some recommendations are hereby made for effective teaching and learning of integrated science: Government should continuously organize seminars and workshop for science teachers for the promotion and the application of constructivist approach to classroom instructional process in secondary schools, Science curriculum must stress educational choices based on our values and purposes and provide the materials that can help advance the agenda of scientifically based child-centered pedagogy.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background to the Study

1.2            Statement of the Problem

1.3            Purpose of the Study

1.4            Research Questions

1.5            Research Hypotheses

1.6            Scope of the Study

1.7            Significance of the Study

1.8            Operational definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0     Literature Review

2.1     Theoretical Framework

2.2     Basis of Constructivist Teaching

2.3     Epistemological base of Constructivist Teaching

2.4     Psychological base of Constructivist Teaching

2.5     Theoretical Assumption of Constructivist Teaching

2.6     Principles and Strategies of Constructivist Teaching

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM

Critics of public education have argued that many Nigerian students do not possess the depth of knowledge or skills to assure either personal life success or national economic competitiveness (Akpan, 1996). A particular concern of the critics has been the apparent inability of many students to engage in complex problem-solving activities and to apply school knowledge and skills to real-life problems in workplace settings (Akpan, 1996). What teachers and schools face is a fundamental redefinition of what it means to be a student or a teacher and what it means to learn or to teach. Educators are confronted with a paradigm shift in teaching and learning which is driven by the increasing anomalies of the current educational system (Kim, 2002). High drop-out rates, low skill and knowledge levels among many students, low levels of student engagement in school work and poor international comparisons suggest that the current educational paradigm is weak or inappropriate.

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1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Knowledge is not attained but constructed (von Glasersfeld, 1999). This statement came from a new challenge to the concept of traditional knowledge. Today, we are facing the challenge from an educational paradigm shift in secondary schools education in Nigeria. Parents and the general public have criticized the secondary schools and classroom environments, arguing that they are not ready to meet learner's needs/ achievement and the demands of the industrial society in this 21st century information society. Some complain about current educational practices, raising questions about the inability of Nigerian science students to perform creative thinking as well as problem solving tasks when compared to other advanced countries.

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But there is surprisingly very little research effort, particularly in Nigeria that emphasized constructivist-based teaching strategy in science and even less that focused on Basic science at the junior secondary school level. Furthermore no studies to our knowledge had investigated the effect of constructivist-based teaching strategy and its interaction with sex and ability on science and technology achievement and attitude among junior secondary school students in Nigeria. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to specifically determine, among others, the effects of constructivist-based teaching strategy on academic performance of students in Integrated Science.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to determine, the effects of constructivist-based teaching strategy on academic performance of junior secondary school students' in Basic Science inEpe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          This study will be guided with four the following research questions.

1.       Is there any significant difference in achievement test scores between students instructed using constructivist-based teaching strategy and those instructed using the traditional classroom teaching method?

2.       Is there any significant difference in achievement test scores between male and female students instructed with constructivist-based teaching strategy?

3.       Is there any significant difference in achievement test scores between high ability students taught with constructivist-based teaching strategy and those taught with traditional classroom teaching method?

4.       Is there any significant difference in achievement test scores between low ability students taught with constructivist-based teaching strategy and those taught with traditional classroom teaching method?

1.5     RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

From the research questions raised, four hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1:  There is no significant difference in achievement test scores between students instructed with constructivist-based teaching strategy and those taught using Conventional classroom teaching method.

Ho2:  There is no significant difference in achievement test scores between male and female students      instructed with constructivist-based teaching strategy.

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Ho4: There is no significant difference in the achievement test

scores of students of low ability instructed with constructivist based teaching strategy and those taught with    traditional classroom teaching method.

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

 The findings of this study will be significant in the following ways:

It is expected that the constructivist-based teaching strategy employed in the study would improve the teaching and learning process thereby enhancing student’s performance in Basic Science and attitude in Science and Technology.

The results of this study will be useful to the teacher and student as it would provide them with alternative method of teaching and learning Science related topics.

1.7     DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study covers only four Junior Secondary Schools in Epe Local Government   Area of Lagos State. As a result of the short time frame allocated to this study. Other challenges encountered in the course of this study includes

·        Financial constraints

·        Uncooperative attitude of the respondents

1.8     OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

·        EFFECT:             A change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.

·        STRATEGY:      method employed by the teacher in his/her teaching.

·        CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING: Teachers provide an environment in which students are actively engaged in their own learning, and build their own knowledge structures by Investigating and discovering (Marlowe & Page, 1998).

·        JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL: This is the stage of education following primary education.

·        ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: This refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks.

·        TEACHING: This is an intimate contract between a more mature personality and a less mature one, which is designed for the further education of the latter.

·        STUDENTS: A person who is studying at a school or college. Denoting someone  who is studying in order to enter a particular profession.

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