An Examination of the Extent to which School Outdoor Activities could Enhance Senior Secondary Two Students’ Achievement in Ecology

This study examined the extent to which school outdoor activities could enhance senior secondary (SS) two students' achievement in ecology. Non randomized pre test post test control group Quasi-experimental design was adopted. A sample of 160 SS II students from 4 co- educational schools in Jalingo metropolis, Taraba State Nigeria was used. A 40 item instrument called Ecology Achievement Test (EAT) developed by the researchers with reliability co-efficient of 0.95 using Kunder- Richardson formula 21 was used for data collection. The schools were grouped into 2; the experimental group was taught using school outdoor activities while the control group was taught using lecture method. Intact classes were used in all the schools. Students were pre tested, treated for 6 weeks and Post tested. Data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result shows that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught using outdoor activities and those taught using lecture method. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean achievement scores of boys and girls exposed to school outdoor activities. Similarly, there was no statistically significant interaction effect of method of teaching and students gender on their achievement in ecology. . It was recommended among others that teachers should use school outdoor activities strategy in teaching ecological concepts in biology and seminars, workshop, conferences, in-service trainings, annual teachers vacation courses and refresher courses should be organized to train them

Problem-Solving Skills as Correlates of Attention Span and Working Memory of Low Ability Level Students in Senior Secondary Schools

The study sought to determine the relationship between problem-solving skills and measure of working memory and attention span of science students of low ability level. The study adopted correlational survey research design. The population for the study comprised all Secondary School I (SSI) that offered physics, chemistry and biology as school subjects in all the public senior secondary schools in the study area for 2017/2018 academic session while the sample was 450 science students from 24 Senior Secondary Schools in the study area. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) backward digit span task and Attention Lapses Clicker (ALC) were used for data collection. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse data used to answer the research questions and test null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that low percentage variation in students’ problem-solving skills in science can be attributed to measure of working memory and attention span. There exist no significant relationship between measure of working memory, attention span and the combination of working memory and attention span of students. It was recommended among others that science teachers should vary concentration spans of science students by inherently mimicking the same kind of cognitive gear shift in the activities that require creative problem-solving skills and thinking, Also interventions and accommodation need be designed by school administrators to help science teachers differentiate instruction with explanations on how techniques or strategies can address students with working memory difficulty and attention deficits in the classroom

Relative Abstract Nature of the three Core Science subjects at the Senior Secondary level in Nigeria as Exemplified by Classroom Interaction Patterns

This study examined relative abstract nature of Biology, Chemistry and Physics offered at the senior secondary schools (SSS) in Ankpa education zone of Kogi State of Nigeria based on the analysis of classroom interactions. In each of the three comparable public schools used, the same class of Senior Secondary 2 (SS 2) or 11th grade students were each taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics. In each school, reproduction, chemical kinetics and refraction were taught in Biology, Chemistry and Physics respectively. The researchers personally took record of interactions during the 9 periods (taught by 9 science teachers) lasting for 35 minutes each using Flanders’ Interaction Analysis Categories (FIAC). Inter observer’s rater reliability was 0.69 using Scott’s Phi coefficient. Using a 10 by 10 matrix and percentage for final analysis, the extent of students’ participation in the lesson which its decreasing order was used to estimate the degree of the abstract nature or difficulty experienced in each subject was determined. The result revealed that the physical sciences were more abstract than the biological science with physics having the highest index. There was no close match between teachers’ level of motivation during the lessons and students’ participation except in Biology. Consequent upon these, it was recommended that chemistry and physics teachers should always ensure that there is a close match between cognitive ability of learners and cognitive demands of the subjects or lessons taught; that concrete teaching materials be used in the two more abstract subjects to reduce the formal reasoning or abstract requirements in the lessons to concrete demand levels, among others.Institute for Science and Technology Education (ISTE

Classroom Interaction Practices and Students’ Learning Outcomes in Physics: Implication for Teaching-Skill Development for Physics Teachers

In the last decade, evidence in the science education literature seems to suggest that student-centered classroom interaction appears to have effect over and above teacher-centered interaction in enhancing learning outcomes in various science subjects especially in Physics. Based on this premise, this paper examined the effects of teacher-centered and student-centered interaction practices on students’ achievement and attitude in dynamics, an aspect of Physics considered abstract at the secondary school level. This study employed both the quasi-experimental and observational survey designs. From a sample of four comparable schools in Kogi East Local Government Areas of Kogi State, Nigeria, 139 physics students from intact classes and seven teachers (4 who did the teaching and 3 others who observed in all classes) were involved in the study. Three instruments developed were used for data collection. These are Teacher-Student Classroom Observation Schedule (TSCOS), Students’ Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), and Physics Achievement Test (PAT) with reliability indices of 0.68, 0.86 and 0.79 respectively. The data generated from the use of the instruments were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the ANCOVA statistic was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 α-level. Results revealed that the difference between the mean performances and mean attitude of students exposed to the two types of interactions were statistically significant. Gender differences in mean performance and attitude scores were not significant. It was recommended that student-centered classroom interaction strategy should be advocated for use. Implications were drawn for teacher skills acquisition

30 * Some Nigeria Students' Performance in Practical and Theoretical Chemistry Tests as Predictors of their Performance in MOCK-SSCE Chemistry Examinations

Abstract: This study adopted the expost facto design in which the results of some Nigeria students" practical knowledge of Chemistry and their tests of theoretical knowledge of Chemistry were used to predict their performance in MOCK-SSCE Chemistry. The Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is a terminal examination while the internal or State qualifying examination set after the pattern of SSCE is called MOCK-SSCE

Assessment of knowledge about childhood autism among paediatric and psychiatric nurses in Ebonyi state, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is increasing public and professional awareness of autism spectrum disorders with early recognition, diagnosis and interventions that are known to improve prognosis. Poor knowledge about childhood autism among paediatric and psychiatric nurses who are members of multidisciplinary teams that care for such children may be a major barrier to early interventions that could improve quality of life and prognosis in childhood autism. Factors that influence knowledge about childhood autism among these nurses are not known. This study assessed knowledge about childhood autism among paediatric and psychiatric nurses in Ebonyi state, Nigeria and determined the factors that could be influencing such knowledge.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty specialist paediatric and forty psychiatric nurses, making a total sample of eighty, were randomly selected from all the health care facilities in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. A socio-demographic questionnaire and knowledge about childhood autism among health workers (KCAHW) questionnaire were administered to them and the study was a point survey.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The total mean score on the KCAHW questionnaire among the nurses that participated in the study was 12.56 ± 3.23 out of a total of 19 possible. The mean score for the paediatric nurses was 11.78 ± 3.64 while psychiatric nurses had mean score of 13.35 ± 2.58. The mean scores in Domain 1 were 6.17 ± 1.75 for the paediatric nurses and 6.52 ± 1.43 for the psychiatric nurses. The mean scores in Domain 2 were 0.65 ± 0.48 for the paediatric nurses and 0.80 ± 0.41 for the psychiatric nurses. Domain 3 showed mean scores of 1.97 ± 1.25 for the paediatric nurses while psychiatric nurses scored 2.62 ± 1.23. Domain 4 yielded the mean scores of 2.97 ± 1.54 and 3.42 ± 0.98 for the paediatric and psychiatric nurses respectively.</p> <p>There was significant relationship between the total mean score on the KCAHW questionnaire for the two groups and the area of specialisation of the nurses (t = -2.23, df = 78, p = 0.03) and there was also significant relationship between previous involvement in managing children with childhood autism as a specialist paediatric or psychiatric nurse and the total mean score on the KCAHW questionnaire (t = 6.90, df = 78, p = 0.00).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The scores reflect deficits in knowledge about childhood autism among the study cohorts. Paediatric and psychiatric nurses as members of multidisciplinary teams that care for children with childhood autism are expected to provide holistic care and adequate counselling to the families of these children. Unfortunately in this environment, they are not fully equipped with enough knowledge about childhood autism. Education on childhood autism is therefore needed and can be provided through continuing medical education and emphasizing childhood autism in their training curriculum. This will enhance early identification and diagnosis of childhood autism with early interventions that are known to improve prognosis.</p

Correction to: Cluster identification, selection, and description in Cluster randomized crossover trials: the PREP-IT trials

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article

An Examination of the Extent to which School Outdoor Activities could Enhance Senior Secondary Two Students’ Achievement in Ecology

This study examined the extent to which school outdoor activities could enhance senior secondary (SS) two students' achievement in ecology. Non randomized pre test post test control group Quasi-experimental design was adopted. A sample of 160 SS II students from 4 co- educational schools in Jalingo metropolis, Taraba State Nigeria was used. A 40 item instrument called Ecology Achievement Test (EAT) developed by the researchers with reliability co-efficient of 0.95 using Kunder- Richardson formula 21 was used for data collection. The schools were grouped into 2; the experimental group was taught using school outdoor activities while the control group was taught using lecture method. Intact classes were used in all the schools. Students were pre tested, treated for 6 weeks and Post tested. Data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result shows that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught using outdoor activities and those taught using lecture method. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean achievement scores of boys and girls exposed to school outdoor activities. Similarly, there was no statistically significant interaction effect of method of teaching and students gender on their achievement in ecology. . It was recommended among others that teachers should use school outdoor activities strategy in teaching ecological concepts in biology and seminars, workshop, conferences, in-service trainings, annual teachers vacation courses and refresher courses should be organized to train them