EFFECTS OF SCIENTIFIC PROCESS SKILLS ON STUDENTS’ CREATIVITY AT J.S.S III, FOR TEACHING BASIC SCIENCE IN NIGERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

¹Gadzama, B.I., ²Mathew, B.A., ³Matthew F.D., ⁴Louis U. & ⁵Omachi, A.A.

^{1, 2, & 3}Integrated Science Education Department, ⁴Biology Department & ⁵Chemistry Department

¹F.C.E (Tech) Potiskum,Yobe State, Nigeria,

^{2 , 3 & 5}Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, Nigeria & ⁴Federal College of Education, Katsina

E-Mail; mathewaledare44@gmail.com

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of scientific process skills on the students’ creativity at JSS III for teaching basic science in Nigerian secondary schools. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The hypotheses were tested at p≤0.05 level of significance. The pre-test and post-test experimental and control groups design was used for the research. The population of the study comprised of all the junior secondary school JSS III students in Potiskum educational zone of Yobe state. the experimental group was taught basic science concepts using scientific process skills scale approach, while the control group subjects was exposed to lecture method. Three validated instruments called Scientific Process Skills Scale (SPSS) Science Creativity Scale (SCS) and Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT) was used to gather the date. The data collected were analysed using the reliability coefficient of the instruments 0.75, 0.78 and 0.86 respectively. The results of the study revealed that: there is statistically significance difference between the mean scores of the favour of the experimental groups; there was significance difference between in the creative thinking skills attainments between the experimental group taught using scientific process skills scale approach and control groups taught using lecture method. The researcher recommended that basic science teachers should be trained and encouraged to incorporate the use of SPSS approach in teaching in the classroom situation.   

Keywords: Process skills, Basic Science, Science education,Creativity