EFFECT OF GROUP-BASED MASTERY LEARNING MODEL ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN BASIC SCIENCE

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of group-based mastery learning model on academic achievement of students in Basic science in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state. The design adopted for the study was quasi-experimental design; specifically, the non-equivalent control group design. Two research questions were raised and two hypotheses were formulated. The population of the study comprised all Junior Secondary Two (JSII) students in Nsukka Local Government area who are offering basic science. The sample size of the study comprised 72 basic science students drawn from two co-educational secondary schools. One class each was randomly assigned to experimental group while the other was the control group from both schools. Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT) was used as the instrument for data collection. It was trial tested and analyzed using Kuder-Richardson formula20 (KR 20) and the coefficient obtained was 0.71. Data was collected and the research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that students taught using group-based mastery learning model achieved higher than those taught using lecture method. The result also revealed that female students had higher mean achievement scores than their male counterparts. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that Workshops, seminars and conferences should be conducted for basic science teachers on the use of group-based mastery learning model to enable them incorporate it effectively in their teaching.