EFFECT OF PROJECT-BASED TEACHING METHOD ON JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE IN NSUKKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study determined the effect of project-based teaching method on students' academic achievement in Basic Science. A quasi-experimental design (pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design) was adopted. The population comprised 2,437 JSS II students in Nsukka local government area of Enugu State, from which a sample of 144 students was drawn using multi-stage sampling technique. The Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT), was used for data collection with a reliability index of 0.91 (K-R 20). Mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at .05 significance level were used to analyze data. Results showed that project-based teaching method significantly enhanced students' academic achievement in Basic Science compared to conventional lecture method; gender did not significantly influence achievement; and the interaction effect of teaching methods and gender was not significant. It is therefore recommended that basic science teachers should develop and adopt project-based teaching method as it enhances overall students' academic achievement and helps reduce gender gap in the subject.