EFFECT OF MASTERY LEARNING STRATEGY ON UPPER BASIC STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN ENERGY CONCEPTS OF BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of mastery learning strategy on upper basic students’ achievement in Basic Science and Technology (energy concepts) in Nasarawa State. The research employed a quasi experimental design. The population of the study comprised 9,193 junior secondary two (JS II students with 4775 males and 4418 females) in the North Senatorial District of Nasarawa State. The sample for the study is made up of 178 JS II students, 58 males and 90 females. There were two objectives, two research questions and hypotheses used for the study. The instrument used to collect data was an Objective Energy Achievement Test (EAT) with reliability 0.78 using split half method. Descriptive statistics was used to answer the research questions, while inferential statistics was used to test hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The results indicate a significant difference exists in the mean achievement scores of students taught energy concepts with Mastery Learning Strategies and their counterparts taught with the conventional method in favour of the Mastery Learning Strategy. No significant difference was found to exist between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught energy concepts using the Jigsaw II Learning Strategy. A significant difference was found to exist between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught energy concepts using Mastery Learning Strategy in favour of the female students. The study recommended that Teachers should be encouraged to use Mastery Learning Strategy in the teaching of energy concepts. Also, seminars and workshops should be organized by stakeholders in Basic Science to train teachers on the use of Mastery Learning Strategies to help enhance the achievement of students in Basic Science concepts.