Effects of tasked based teaching and lecture method on students' achievement in Basic Science in Delta Central Senatorial District, Delta State

Abstract

This study examined the effects of task-based learning and lecture methods on secondary school students' achievement in Basic Science. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design using intact classes was adopted. The population comprised 22,702 JSSII students across 186 public schools in Delta Central Senatorial District. Using stratified simple random sampling, 236 JSSII students from six public mixed schools were selected. Data were collected using the 50-item Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT), which yielded a Kuder-Richardson Formula 21 (KR-21) reliability coefficient of 0.79. Mean and standard deviation answered the research questions, while paired-sample t-tests and One-Way ANOVA tested hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Paired t-tests showed that both task-based instruction (t=37.01, p<.05) and lecture method (t=29.50, p<.05) significantly improved posttest scores over baseline pretest scores. However, One-Way ANOVA revealed no statistically significant difference in overall mean posttest achievement between the two strategies (F (1,234) =1.25, p=.521). It was concluded that both modalities are statistically comparable in driving cognitive achievement on standardized tests. Consequently, science educators are encouraged to flexibly integrate both task-based instruction and lecture method to optimize learning.