THE EFFECT OF JIGSAW INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE RETENTION IN PHYSICS IN JOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of jigsaw instructional strategy (JIS) on students’ knowledge retention towards physics, based on score levels and gender. The study was a quasi-experimental, pre-test and post-test control group design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two schools, from which two intact classes of senior secondary school two students in physics were involved in the study. A total of 84 students comprising the experimental and control groups (experimental group = 43; control group = 41) took part in the study. The instrument used for data collection was Physics Retention Test (PRT). The reliability of PRT was ensured using Kuder Richardson formula-21, with a reliability coefficient of 0.79. Four research questions raised in the study were answered using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses formulated were tested using t-test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from the study showed that JIS improved students’ knowledge retention in physics irrespective of gender and score level. It was recommended that teachers should include the use of jigsaw instructional strategy for improving the teaching and learning of physics in Nigeria senior schools. Article visualizations: