Two Puzzle Models-Based Instructional Strategies’ Efficacy and Parental Educational Background of Junior Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Selected Concepts in Basic Science

Abstract

The persistent poor performance of students in basic science at junior secondary school has been traced to dated teaching methods. Hence, the constant recommendations from scholars and teachers of the subject for the use of game-like instructional strategies. Regardless of these recommendations, little attention has been paid to these strategies by basic science teachers. This study, therefore, determined the potency of maze puzzle-based instructional strategy (MPS) and logic mechanical puzzle-based instructional strategy (LMPS) on students’ achievement in basic science in Ondo State, Nigeria. The pretestposttest, control group, quasi-experimental design was adopted. Participants were randomly assigned to MPS, LMPS and conventional lecture method (CLM). The treatment was for 13 weeks which involved MPS, LMPS and Conventional Instructional Guide. Two instruments used were: Students’ Achievement Test (r=0.81), al one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA and Scheffe’s post hoc test. There were significant main effects of treatments on achievement score (F(2, 277)=197.93, ƞ2=0.588). The LMPS (=18.28) performed better than MPS (=14.92) and CLM (=12.53). Logic mechanical and maze puzzle-based strategies enhanced students’ achievement in basic science. Parental educational background had significant main effects on students’ achievement (F(2, 277)=78.60, ƞ2=0.356) High PEB (=16.67) students performed better than their moderate (=15.40) and low (=13.67) counterparts. Logic mechanical and maze puzzle-based strategies enhanced students’ achievement in basic science. Therefore, the two strategies should be adopted by teachers to enhance better performance in basic science.