Eradicating Poor Achievement in Basic Science and Technology through Learning Activity Package: How Do Students Behave in Nigeria?

The study investigated the better strategy to use in fostering achievement and retention in Basic Science considering simulation and demonstration strategies. The study also compared the achievement as well as the retention of female and male students in basic science when exposed to simulation strategy. The research region is Kogi State's Ankpa Education Zone. A multistage sampling strategy was used to choose 120 Basic II students from four schools in the research region. The study used a quasi-experimental design. Data were analyzed using means and standard deviations, while ANCOVA was utilized to test the hypotheses. The study's results indicated that students taught using the simulation technique achieved considerably better mean achievement and retention scores in Basic Science than students taught using the demonstration strategy. Additionally, no significant difference in mean achievement scores between male and female students taught utilizing the simulation teaching technique was discovered. The research demonstrates a substantial difference in the mean retention scores of male and female students in Basic Science who are taught utilizing a simulation technique. Following the findings, it was suggested that Science teachers should use simulation strategy for the teaching of various topics in Basic Science to improve students’ achievement in Basic Science.

This study investigated the Effect of Metacognitive Instructional Strategy (MCIS) on the Self-esteem and Achievement of Students in Basic Science in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Quasi experimental research design of pre-test and post-test of non-randomized and nonequivalent experimental and control group was adopted. The population of the study was 17,761 JS III students from junior secondary schools in the three educational zones in Nasarawa State, during the 2018/2019 academic session. The sample size was 300 JS III students drawn from six intact classes of 50 students, using a simple random technique. Two instruments which comprised of Basic and Achievement Test (BAT), and Basic Science Self-esteem Rating Scale (BSSERS), were developed by the researcher and validated by two experts from the Measurement and Evaluation and Science Education Departments were used for data collection. The internal consistencies of the instruments- BSSERS and BAT were obtained using Cronbach Alpha and Kuder Richardson formula as 0.86, and 0.74 respectively. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation scores were used to answer the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results showed that metacognitive instructional strategy was more effective in facilitating students’ self-esteem, and achievement in Basic Science than conventional teaching method. The strategy promoted the use of cognitive knowledge of thinking and the acquisition of scientific skills as well as mastering concept and principles of Basic Science. The study recommended adequate training and re-training of teachers on the use of metacognitive instructional strategy model for Nigerian Junior Secondary Schools through workshops and seminars organized by school authorities or Professional bodies such as Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria.

The importance of affective domain in acquisition of scientific knowledge cannot be overemphasized. Hence, the study investigated students' motivation and academic achievement in Basic Science. Quasi experimental research design was adopted for the study and purposive sampling technique was used to select Emohua Local Government Area. Stratified random sampling on basis of school location (urban and rural) was used to select two UBE schools. While simple random sampling by balloting was used to select one hundred (100) JSS2 Basic Science students that participated in the study. Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT) was used to collect data for the study and the data collected were analyzed by using mean and standard deviation to answer all the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at.05 level of significance. The study found that, students' motivation have significant effect on their achievement mean scores in Basic Science P<.05. Gender does not have significant effect on achievement mean scores of motivated students in Basic Science, P >.05. School locations have significant effect on mean scores of motivated students in Basic science P <.05. The urban motivated students did better than the rural students. Hence, this study recommends that students should often be motivated in order for them to achieve maximally in acquiring Basic Science skills and knowledge. Rural schools should also be well equipped to boast the achievement of students in Basic Science.

The importance of Science to national development cannot be disputed. That is why Basic Science is taught as a foundational science subject in the Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria. It is meant to inculcate basic scientific knowledge and skills in students. However, the subject, in which students’ performance is low, has also not enjoyed a plethora of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to support its learning. Given these challenges, an investigation of the effect of personalized strategy on achievement in Basic Science was carried out. The study employed the pretest, posttest group, quasi-experimental design. The sample comprised of intact classes of year three (JSS 3) Basic Science students (87) from two junior secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area. Using the Balloting method, the students were assigned experimental and control groups. Two stimulus instruments (Teachers’ Conventional Teaching Guide (TCTG) and Teachers’ Instructional Guide on Personalized Learning (TIGPL), and, response instrument (Basic Science Knowledge Assessment Scale (BSKAS) (r = 0.78), were used for data collection. The four hypotheses raised were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance, to compare performances. The results show significant mean differences in the performance scores of the experimental and control groups. This was in favour of the experimental group who were instructed using personalised strategy. Based on this, more efficient ICT-based personalised packages need to be developed for students to aid their understanding and learning of Basic Science.

<p>This study examined the effects of peer-led, inquiry-based, and lecture instructional strategies on students’ achievement and retention in basic science in Delta Central Senatorial District. 5 research questions and 5 hypotheses guide the study. The pretest-posttest delayed-posttest planned variation quasi-experimental design was employed for the study. The population of the study consisted of 82,712 JSII basic science students in the 183 public secondary schools. The sample size is 292 basic science students selected from 6 public mixed junior secondary schools. The instrument for data collection, which was duly face and content validated, was the Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT). The instrument, with a reliability coefficient of 0.79, was established using the Kuder-Richardson Formula – 21 (K-R-21). All research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance with t-test, and ANCOVA. The study found that; there is a significant difference in the mean achievement scores among students taught basic science using peer-led, inquiry-based and lecture instructional strategies, there is a significant difference in the mean retention scores among students taught basic science using peer-led, inquiry-based and lecture instructional strategies, there is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught basic science using peer-led, inquiry-based and lecture instructional strategies, there is no significant interaction effect of method and gender on basic science students’ achievement, and there is a significant interaction effect of method and gender on basic science students’ retention. the study, therefore, concluded that the peer-led instructional strategy and the inquiry-based instructional strategy are more effective in enhancing basic science students’ achievement and retention than the lecture method. The study also, amongst others, recommends that basic science teachers should adopt the use of peer-led instructional strategy in teaching basic science in junior and senior secondary schools.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0217/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

This study explored how assessment for learning, classroom management strategies, and teacher-student relationships predict students' academic achievement in Basic Science among students in Enugu State. The correlational survey design was employed in the study. The population of the study comprised 21,989 JSS III Basic Science students for the 2022/2023 academic session in public secondary schools. A sample of 400 students determined using Taro Yamen's (1967) formula and drawn through a multi-stage sampling procedure was used for the study. Data was collected using the Assessment Quality Enhancement Scale (AQES) and the Basic Science Academic Achievement Proforma (BSAAP). The internal consistency of the AQES was determined using Cronbach's Alpha reliability method, yielding a reliability estimate of 0.84. The BSAAP, on the other hand, collected existing academic achievement scores of sampled students in Basic Science from their 1st and 2nd term results for the 2022/2023 academic session. Data was analyzed using regression analysis. Results revealed significant predictive relationships between teachers' use of assessment for learning, classroom management approaches, teacher-student relationships, and students' academic performance in Basic Science. Specifically, the correlation coefficients (R) of assessment for learning, classroom management, and teacher-student relationships were 0.53, 0.51, and 0.41, with predictive powers of 28%, 26%, and 16%, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of ongoing teacher professional development, curriculum reform initiatives, and supportive school environments in fostering academic success in Basic Science. The

The study investigated the effects of process-oriented instructional strategies on the spatial abilities of basic science students in Kogi state. Spatial ability contributes immensely to the understanding of science. 702 basic nine students, made up of 316 boys and 386 girls were used for the study. While the experimental group was taught topics in basic science using process-oriented instructional strategies, the control group was taught with lecture method. Variables such as gender and teaching strategies informed the direction of the investigation. Four null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level. Three research instruments; Spatial Ability Test (SAT), reliability 0.81, Basic Science Achievement Test I (BSAT I), reliability 0.87, and Basic Science Achievement Test II (BSAT II) with a reliability of 0.85 were used. Data analysis utilized percentages, frequencies, means, and t-test for independent samples. The results showed that no significant differences in basic science achievement between boys and girls taught by lecture method and those of process-oriented instructional strategies were found. Significant differences were found between the spatial abilities of girls taught by lecture and those taught by process-oriented instructional strategies and between boys taught by lecture and those taught by process-oriented instructional strategies. It was recommended that boys and girls could be taught together; thus solving the problem of space and materials/resources often expensive and relatively scarce in many Nigerian schools. Teachers should emphasize the process-oriented instructional strategies in science teaching.

There are many factors that influence the academic achievements of medical students, but how personality and brain modulate the academic achievements of medical students remains unclear. The study collected the personality, brain imaging, and academic data from 448 medical students at Tianjin Medical University with admission time between 2008 and 2017. Four types of academic achievements, including behavioral and social sciences, clinical sciences and skills, basic biomedical sciences, and scientific methods, were assessed by the academic records of 58 courses. Personality was evaluated by Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Personality Inventory. Brain structural and functional properties, including gray matter volume, spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity, were computed based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between personality and academic achievements. A voxel-wise correlation was used to identify areas of the brain where structural and functional properties were associated with academic achievements. Mediation analysis was used to test whether brain properties and personality independently contribute to academic achievements. Our results showed that novelty seeking (NS) was negatively correlated, and conscientiousness was positively correlated with all types of academic achievements. Brain functional properties showed negatively correlated with academic achievement in basic biomedical sciences. However, we did not find any mediation effect of the brain functional properties on the association between personality (NS and conscientiousness) and academic achievement in basic biomedical sciences, nor mediation effect of the personality (NS and conscientiousness) on the association between brain functional properties and academic achievement in basic biomedical sciences. These findings suggest that specific personality (NS and conscientiousness) and brain functional properties independently contribute to academic achievements in basic biomedical sciences, and that modulation of these properties may benefit academic achievements among medical students.

Over the last decade, we have made great progress in our knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiolgy of sepsis, the mediators involved, and the underlying mechanisms, and yet, until very recently, little advance had been made in the field of sepsis therapeutics. Achievements in basic science and cellular research have not been matched by clinical success, and mortality rates from this disease process have remained virtually unaltered over the past 50 years [1]. Indeed, despite the development of many dozens of new so-called immunomodulatory agents, poor results from clinical trials mean that the treatment of sepsis remains antibiotic therapy, source removal, and organ support. In this chapter we will briefly discuss the reasons behind these ‘failed’ clinical trials before focussing on the recent and exciting results of activated protein C (APC), a drug aimed at the coagulation system, which has been shown to improve mortality rates in patients with severe sepsis.

The aforegoing chapters focused on the description of high-resolution imaging and spectrometry. The current status of the most advanced techniques was described and the prospects for the near and far future were presented. While these achievements are spectacular and noteworthy as a fundamental achievement in basic science in its own right, without correlation to any macroscopic property, they may remain a mere academic exercise without apparent consequence.

Learning science is important to gain a broader view and clear understanding of the complex world. This study aimed to examine the effect of the level of understanding of basic and integrated science process skills (SPSs) on student science achievement. The test instrument was administered to measure the level of understanding of basic and integrated SPSs from 73 students studying in the Science Foundation Studies Program. Findings: The findings of the study reveal level of understanding of basic science processes was satisfactory whereas integrated science process skill was poor. A moderate correlation was found between basic SPSs and integrated SPSs. A weak positive correlation was found between basic SPSs and science achievement. There was an insignificant correlation between integrated SPSs and science achievement. The level of understanding of SPSs among both females and males was fair with females and males. The results of the independent sample t-test indicated there were no significant differences in the level of understanding of SPSs between females and males. It is hoped that the findings provide insight into the ability level of students and would be useful to bring a positive change in the Foundation Studies Program.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the fit of a hypothesized model of medical students' diagnostic or clinical reasoning skills based on their aptitude for medical school, basic science achievement, and clinical competency measures. A total of 589 medical students who received their MD from 1994 to 2002 participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the fit of theoretical models of clinical reasoning using measures of basic science and clinical knowledge. The results provided support for a three-factor model of medical student performance (Bentler's Comparative Fit Index = .905, standardized root mean squared residual = .054, root mean squared error of approximation = .105). The clinical reasoning skills of medical students were influenced by an independent relationship between latent variables of basic science achievement and clinical competency. The findings support a theoretical model of diagnostic or clinical reasoning that treats the basic science and clinical knowledge of medical students as distinct domains.

Context: Basic medical sciences education differs among medicine courses, especially as traditional and integrated problem-based learning (PBL) curricula teach basic sciences in very different ways. The literature shows no clear differences in the performance of students of these different educational philosophies. The Charité Medical University of Berlin (Charité Universit tsmedizin Berlin) teaches both a traditional medical curriculum (TMC) and a PBL reformed medical curriculum (RMC). Both curricula conduct the Progress Test in Medicine (PTM), which examines competence in the basic and clinical sciences from the first to the last semester. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the development and retention of knowledge in the basic medical sciences between students on the traditional and reformed undergraduate medical curricula, respectively. Methods: For each student and single PTM, relative frequencies of correct answers were computed for basic sciences items only and for the whole curriculum. Frequencies were averaged and grouped by semester and curriculum. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were performed at all measurement points with a Bonferroni-corrected p-value at the level of p < 0.005. Eta-squared (η2) was used to classify effect size. Results: In the first three semesters, RMC students slightly outperform TMC students in the basic sciences, although TMC students receive more systematic teaching. After this, TMC students develop a peak of knowledge in basic sciences and overtake RMC students. The knowledge of TMC students then decreases over time, but despite this, they perform better in the final semester. Students on the RMC show constant progress throughout their undergraduate studies. Overall, the development of medical knowledge is consistent in both curricula. There is no significant difference in this outcome between the traditional and PBL courses. Conclusions: Progress testing as a longitudinal method allows us to better understand the development of knowledge during formal undergraduate education. The main difference between traditional and problem-based medical education seems to be provoked by the high-stakes national examination undertaken in the traditional course (the Physikum).

Clinical trials in pediatrics: The drug delivery dimension

Abstract
 This study examined the effect of collaborative teaching on students’ academic achievement in English language in Ekiti State. The population consisted of 161 Junior Secondary school three students made up of 103 males and 58 females selected from Federal Science and Technical College, Usi-Ekiti, Ekiti State. A total of 20 students (10 males) and (10 females) randomly selected from the school constituted the sample. The twenty students were divided into two groups-Experimental and Control. Group A was used as experimental group while group B was used as the control group. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The data collected were analysed using mean and percentages to answer the research questions while t-test and chi-square statistics were used to test the hypotheses. The major findings show that the students taught with Collaborative Teaching Strategy (CTS) achieved significantly better outputs than those of the control group. The study also discovered that there was no significant gender difference in the students’ achievement in English language. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that collaborative teaching strategy should be adopted as a more effective approach to teaching of English Language at the Junior Secondary School levels.