CLASS PARTICIPATION AS PREDICTOR OF ACADEMIC ACHIVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTHWESTERN, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between class participation and pupils' academic chievement in Basic Science and Technology (BST) in Southwestern, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational survey research design. The population consisted 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. Thirty students were selected from each of the schools to make a total of 810 primary school pupils. Three self-designed instruments were used to collect data for the study, they were Observation Scale Measuring Pupils Participation in Basic Science and Technology Class (OSMPPBSTC) (observes pupils' participation in Basic Science and Technology Class) and Basic Science and Technology Achievement Test (BSTAT) (measures academic performance of pupils in Basic Science and Technology). Data were analyzed using influential statistics of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Post Hoc Analysis, Regression Analysis and Pearson Product Moment Correclation.
The result showed a significant relationship between class participation and pupils` achievement in BST in Southwestern, Nigeria (F=74.182, p < 0.05). The results revealed that there was significant combined influence of class participation and gender on pupils`
achievement in BST in the study area (R = 0.406; p<0.05). The results also showed no significant combined influence of class participation and school type on pupils` achievement in BST in the study area (R = 0.436; p < 0.05). The study concluded that class participation is capable of predicting lower primary school pupils` achievement in Basic Science and Technology