Effects of Crossword-Picture Puzzle Teaching Strategy and Gender on Students' Attitude to Basic Science

Abstract

This paper investigated the effects of crossword-picture puzzle (CPP) and gender on students' attitude to Basic Science. A pretest-posttest quasi experimental design was adopted. The sample comprised 389 JSS II Basic Science Students from nine schools randomly selected in three States (Oyo, Ogun and Ondo) in Southwestern Nigeria. Four instruments used were-Teachers' Instructional Guides for: Crossword-Picture Puzzle Teaching Strategy, Conventional Lecture Method; Basic Science Students' Attitude Scale (r=0.80); and Evaluation Sheets for assessing research assistants. Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analysed using ANCOVA and mean scores. Results revealed that treatment had significant main effect on students' attitude to basic science (F _(2,389) =11.51; p<0.05; ᵑ²=.06). Crossword-picture puzzle enhanced attitude scores (=58.43) than Conventional Lecture Method (=52.08). Gender had no significant main effect on students' attitude scores (F _(1,389) =.404; p>.05; ᵑ²=.001). The interaction effect of treatment and gender on attitude scores was not significant (F _(2,389) =.477; p>.05; ᵑ²=.003).Crossword-picture puzzle strategy is therefore, recommended to be adopted by Basic Science teachers and curriculum planners in enhancing students' attitude to Basic Science.