Effects of Field Trip and Peer Tutoring Instructional Strategies on Students’ Science Process Skills Acquistion in Basic Science and Technology in Junior Secondary Schools in Osun State

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of field trip and peer tutoring instructional strategies (as against the conventional method of teaching) on secondary school students’ science process skills (observation, classification, communication, measurement, inference and prediction) acquisition in Basic Science and Technology in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in Osun State. These were with a view to provide information on usability of the strategies to enhance the students’ development of science process skills through Basic Science and Technology lesson in Osun State classrooms. The study employed the pretest, post-test control group quasi experimental research design. The population for the study comprised all junior secondary school students in Osun State. The study sample consisted of 315 Junior Secondary II (JS II) students in nine intact classes selected from nine schools using simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was Science Process Skills Performance Test (SPSPT). Data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results of the study showed that there was significant effect of the treatment (use of field trip and peer tutoring) on science process skills of secondary school students as follow: Observation (F=1.030, p<0.05), classification (F=3.529, p<.05), communication (F=1.326, p<0.05), measurement (F=6.623, p<0.05), inference (F=12.310, p<0.05) and prediction (F=21.210, p<0.05); with peer tutoring leading in observation, classification, communication and measurement skills of students in Basic Science and Technology with x̄=30.6000, x̄=31.3429, x̄=24.9429 and x̄=25.3714 while students exposed to field trip strategy, exhibited higher students’ inference and prediction skills in Basic Science and Technology with x̄=22.9714 and x̄=27.4847 respectively. The study concluded that field trip and peer tutoring instructional strategies are effective and innovative teaching methods in improving students’ science process skills acquisition in Basic Science and Technology in secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria.