GAME-BASED AND CONTEXT-BASED LEARNING STRATEGIES AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BASIC SCIENCE IN IBIONO IBOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of game-based and context-based learning strategies on students’ academic performance in Basic Science in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Three research questions and corresponding null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of this study comprised all the 2,278 JSS2 students in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The sample of this study consisted of 94 JSS2 students drawn from 2 public secondary schools in the study area. Simple random sampling technique was used for this selection. A researcher developed instrument entitled Basic Science Performance Test (BSPT) was used for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity by a Basic Science teacher in a secondary school and two experts in test and measurement in the Department of Science Education, Akwa Ibom State University. A reliability test was done on the instrument using 20 students who were not part of the sample for the study. A reliability coefficient of 0.79 was obtained for the instrument using Kuder Richardson (KR-20) reliability estimate. Mean and standard deviation were used for answering the research questions while independent t-test was used for testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that students taught the concept of nitrogen cycle in Basic Science using context-based learning strategy performed significantly better than those taught using game-based learning strategy. The result revealed no gender difference in students’ academic performance when taught using context-based learning strategy. However, male students taught the using game-based learning strategy outperformed their female counterparts. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among other things, that teachers should regularly teach students with context-based learning strategy to promote and encourage social interaction, active engagement in learning which would lead to improved academic performance of students, their gender notwithstanding.