EFFECT OF INTEGRATED INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE TEACHER PRACTICES ON BASIC EDUCATION STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Integrated Inquiry-Based Science Teachers Practice on Basic Education Students’ Interest in Basic Science in Jalingo Education Zone, Taraba State Nigeria. Three specific objectives with corresponding research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design of non-equivalent research design of non-equivalent group. Intact classes were assigned to both the experimental group (Integrated Inquiry-Based Teachers Practice Instructional Strategy) and  control group( guided Inquiry Instructional Strategy) using multi stage sampling technique. The sample for this study is 292 Basic Education students comprising of 139 boys and 153 girls from six public secondary schools. Data for this study was generated using Basic science students Interest scale (BSSIS). Cronbach’s Alfa Coefficient was used to reliability coefficient of BSSIS and reliability index of 0.87 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer all research questions. While analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the data collected and analyzed the following findings were recovered: there was significant different in the mean interest rating of students taught Basic Science using integrated-inquiry-based science teacher practice and those taught using guided inquiry instructional strategy, The study therefore, recommended that; i. Basic Science Teachers should be encouraged to use integrated inquiry-based science teacher practice. Instructional strategy and Basic science teacher’s trainees should be trained on the use of this instructional strategy which could improve academic performance of Basic Education student. ii. Curriculum planners and science teachers should be incorporate innovative, problem solving and activity based pedagogical strategies like inquiry based instructional strategy in all teacher education instructions. iii. Professional bodies like Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) in collaboration with the Nigeria Education Research and Development center (NERDC) and Federal Ministry of Education should organize seminars, workshops and symposia on the use of inquiry based instructional strategy for science teachers at the federal, State and Local Government levels.