TOWARDS SCALING UP STUDENTS' INTEREST IN BASIC SCIENCE USING INTEGRATED INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE TEACHING STRATEGY AND GUIDED INQUIRY STRATEGIES IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Students' Interest determines to a large extent there achievement in life. It is based on this assertion that the researchers investigated the effects of Integrated Inquiry-Based Science Teachers Practice and guided inquiry instructional strategies on Basic Education Students’ Interest in Basic Science in Jalingo Education Zone, Taraba State Nigeria. Three purposes with corresponding research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design of non-equivalent group.The population of the study consisted of 4,141 basic education students with a sample size of 292 Basic Education students. Data was generated using Basic science students Interest scale (BSSIS). Cronbach’s Alfa Coefficient was used to reliability coefficient of BSSIS and reliability index of 0.87 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer all research questions. While analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the data collected and analyzed the following findings were recovered: there was significant different in the mean interest rating of students taught Basic Science using integrated-inquiry-based science teacher practice and those taught using guided inquiry instructional strategy, The study therefore, recommended among other that basic science teachers should be encourage to use Integrated Inquiry-Based Science Teacher Practices. In conclusion, it is evident from the finding of this study that the use of integrated inquiry-based science teachers practice could provide a good way for Basic Education students to learn Basic Science. The strategy enhanced students’ interest in Basic science.