EFFECT OF THINK-ALOUD PAIR PROBLEM SOLVING ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN BASIC TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of think-aloud peer problem solving (TPPS) on students’ achievement and interest basic technology. To carry out the study effectively, four research questions and six hypotheses were formulated and tested. A quasi experimental design, specifically the non-randomized control group pretest posttest design involving two groups – the control group and experimental group was used in this study. 6125 (JS3) students who offered Basic Technology in 2018/2019 academic year in Minna Educational zone formed the population of this study. The sample for the study consisted of 241 Junior Secondary three (JSS3) students of two co-educational secondary schools doing Basic Technology. The two-co-educational secondary schools were randomly drawn using balloting from four co-educational schools offering Basic Technology in Minna educational zone. Two intact classes were used for the study. In each of the sampled schools, all the JS3 students in the intact class randomly selected belonged to one group – either the experimental (TPPS) or control (TAT) group and thus received the same treatment. Two instruments, the Basic Technology Achievement Test (BTAT) and the Basic Technology Interest Inventory (BTII), were developed and validated. An internal reliability consistency of BTAT was found to be 0.75 using Kuder Richardson formula 20(K – R20) and that of BTII was 0.85 using Cronbach Alpha. The BTAT and BTII were administered as pretest to the two groups. Treatment lasted for one month of 12 lesson periods for each group. After the treatment session, the same instruments were rearranged and re-administered as posttest to the same subjects. The data obtained were analyzed using Means and Standard Deviation for research questions; while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analyses indicated that the effect of TPPS on students’ achievement and interest in Basic Technology was significant. Gender was not a significant factor on students’ academic achievement and interest in Basic Technology. Thus, it is recommended that teachers should adopt the use of TPPS in assessing students since it seemed to be more effective in improving students’ achievement and interest in Basic Technology.