EFFECTS OF CROSSWORD-PICTURE PUZZLE TEACHING STRATEGY AND GENDER ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE
Olagunju, A.M and Babayemi, J.O
Department of Teacher Education
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
E-mail: amolagunju@yahoo.com, john.olakunle@yahoo.com
Abstract
This paper examined the effect of Crossword-Picture Puzzle (CPP) Teaching Strategy and gender on students’ achievement in Basic Science. A pretest-posttest quasi experimental design was employed. The sample consisted of 389 JSS II Basic Science Students from nine schools randomly selected in three States in Southwestern Nigeria. Three instruments used were-Teachers’ Instructional Guides for: Crossword-Picture Puzzle Teaching Strategy (r=0.76), Conventional Lecture Method (r=0.74); Basic Science Students’ Achievement Test (r=0.70).Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analysed using ANCOVA and mean scores. Results showed that treatment had significant main effect on achievement score (F (2,389) =202.16; p< 0.05; ᵑ2=.52). Gender had significant main effect on achievement score (F (1, 389) =3.99; p<0.05; ᵑ2=.01). The two-way interaction effect of treatment and gender was not significant on achievement score (F (2,389) =.980; p>.05; ᵑ2=.005).Crossword-picture puzzle strategy is therefore, recommended to be adopted by Basic Science teachers and curriculum planners.