EFFECT OF JIGSAW PUZZLE LEARNING STRATEGY AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES IN BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN ABAK LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study investigated the effect of jigsaw puzzle learning strategy and students’ academic performances in Basic Science and Technology in junior secondary school in Abak Local Government Area. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of 2625 junior secondary school two (JSS2) Basic science students in eleven (11) public secondary schools 2020/2021 session in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 120 JS2 students were used for the study. In each of the selected schools, one JS2 intact class was used to draw the sample for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the two schools used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was Basic Science and Technology Achievement Test (BSTAT). The instrument was validated by a Basic Science and Technology teacher and an expert in Measurement and Evaluation in the Faculty of Education, Akwa Ibom State University. A reliability coefficient of 0.74 was obtained for the instrument using Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis. Mean score was used to answer the research questions while independent t-test was used for testing the hypotheses. The findings of this study showed that there is significant difference in the academic performance of students in basic science and technology when taught the concept of living and non-living things using jigsaw puzzle learning strategy and expository method. The finding also revealed that there is no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female students in basic science and technology when taught the concept of living and non-living things using jigsaw puzzle learning strategy and expository method. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that jigsaw puzzle learning strategy do enhance students’ academic performances in Basic Science and Technology in junior secondary school in Abak L.G.A. It was recommended among others that, seminars, workshops and conferences on the use of Jigsaw puzzle learning strategy should be organized by government and education stakeholders to train teachers in the use of the Jigsaw puzzle learning strategy for teaching Basic Science and Technology.