TEXTBOOK UTILIZATION AS PREDICTOR OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTHWESTERN, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between textbook utilization pupils' academic achievement in Basic Science and Technology (BST) in Southwestern, Nigeria. A correlational survey research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of all lower primary III pupils in Southwestern, Nigeria. The sample size of the study was made up of 810 primary III pupils. Multistage Sampling Procedure was used to select the sample for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting three states out of the six states in Southwestern geographical zones of Nigeria. One Local Government Area
(LGA) was selected from each of the three senatorial districts in the selected Southwestern states using simple random sampling technique making a total of 9 LGAs. Three primary schools were selected from each LGA using simple random sampling technique making a total of 27 schools. Two self-designed instruments were used to collect data for the study, they were Questionnaire on Pupils Utilization of Basic Science and Technology Textbooks (QPUBSTT) (it measures how pupils used Basic Science and Technology Textbooks) and Basic Science and Technology Achievement Test (BSTAT) (measures academic performance of pupils in Basic Science and Technology). Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Post- Hoc Analysis, Pearson Moment Correlation and Descriptive Analysis. The results showed a significant relationship between textbooks utilization and pupils`
achievement in BST in Southwestern, Nigeria (F=155.706, p<0.05). The results revealed that there was significant relationship of the combined influence of textbook utilization and gender on pupils` achievement in BST in the study area (R = 0.40 ; p<0.05). The results also showed no significant relationship on the combined influence of textbooks utilization and school type on pupils` achievement in BST in relation to gender in the study area (R = 0.436; p<0.05).The study concluded that textbooks utilization is capable of predicting lower primary school pupils` achievement in Basic Science and Technology.