Effects of Ethnoscience Blended Instructional Strategy on Urban and Rural Students’ Interest, Achievement and Retention in Basic Science and Technology in Benue State, Nigeria

Francis Terseer UPU ¹ and Okwara Kalu OKWARA ²

¹ Department of Integrated Science Education, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Nigeria

² Department of Biology Education, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Nigeria

Corresponding Author Email: francisupu@yahoo.com

Abstract

This study investigated Effect of Ethnoscience Blended Instructional Strategy (EBIS) onUrban and Rural Students’ Interest, Achievement and Retention in Basic Science and Technology (BST) in Benue State, Nigeria. The study answered three research questions and tested three null hypotheses. The study adopts quasi-experimental pretest posttest non-randomized research design. Basic Science and Technology Interest Scale (BSTIS), Basic Science and Technology Achievement Test (BSTAT) and Basic Science and Technology Retention Test (BSTRT) were validated and used for data collection. Reliability coefficients of BSTIS and BSTAT were established at 0.89 and 0.76 using Cronbach-Alpha Method and Kuder-Richardson 20 formula respectively. The sample size of 341 upper basic II students was drawn from the population of 6,285 using multi-stage sampling technique. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed no significant difference in mean interest ratings with a small effect size of η² _p = 0.42, mean achievement scores with effect size of η² _p = 0.44, as well as mean retention scores with a small effect size of η² _p = 0.43.  Based on these findings, it was concluded that EBIS is an effective strategy for teaching BST, capable of bridging the gap between urban and rural students’ interest, achievement and retention. It was recommended that EBIS should be used for the teaching and learning of BST where applicable; that government at all levels and school administrators should organize seminars and conferences as an in-service training for serving BST teachers to update their knowledge on how to use EBIS.

Keywords: Ethnoscience Blended Instructional Strategy, Urban Students, Rural Students, Interest, Achievement, Retention, Basic Science and Technology

How to Cite this Article:

Upu, F. T. & Okwara, O. K. (2024). Effects of Ethnoscience Blended Instructional Strategy on Urban and Rural Students’ Interest, Achievement and Retention in Basic Science and Technology in Benue State, Nigeria. VillageMath Educational Review (VER), 6(1), 53-65. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11652618