TEACHERS' PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL BASIC SCIENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the influence of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge on students' learning outcomes in junior secondary school Basic Science in Southwestern Nigeria. These were with the view to providing empirical information on the position of effective teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in improving students' academic achievements and attitude in Basic Science. Descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The study's population consisted of all Basic Science teachers and junior secondary school II (JSS2) students in Southwestern Nigeria. The sample size consisted of27 JSS 2 Basic Science teachers and 850 JSS 2 students in their intact classes using Multistage sampling procedure. Three States were selected from southwestern Nigeria. One senatorial district was chosen in each state, and three local government areas (LGAs) were chosen from each senatorial district. Three junior secondary schools were chosen from each of the LG As. One Basic Science teacher and one intact class were finally selected. Instruments used for data collection namely: Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Observation Rating Scale (TPECKORS); Achievement Test for Basic Science Students (ATBSS); and Student Attitude to Basic Science Questionnaire (SABSQ). The results showed that there was a significant influence of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge on students' academic achievement in Basic Science in Southwestern Nigeria F (1, 848) = 20.463, p < 0. 05. The results revealed that there was a significant influence of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge on studentr;' attitude towards Basic Science F(l, 848) = 14. 09 5, p < 0. 05. The study concluded that the teachers' pedagogical content knowledge is high which brings positivi(v in students' learning outcomes.