EFFECT OF THINK-PAIR-SHARE LEARNING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN BASIC SCIENCE

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

Think-Pair-Share (TPS) is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work together to solve a problem or answer a question about an assigned reading. This technique requires students to think individually about a topic or answer to a question; and share ideas with classmates (Amosun, 2002). Think-pair-share is a cooperative learning strategy that includes three components, namely, time for thinking, time for sharing with a partner, and time to share among pairs to a larger group. The use of the strategy unites the cognitive and social aspects of learning, promoting the development of thinking and the construction of knowledge. Think-pair-share strategy has many advantages over the traditional questioning structure. The “think time” incorporates the important concept of “wait time.” It allows all children to develop answers, longer and more elaborate answers can be given, and answers will have reasons and justifications because they have been thought about and discussed. Students are more willing to take risks and suggest ideas because they have already “tested” them with their partner. This strategy differs from guided discovery in that it allows for interaction among the learners during the pairing and sharing stages (Ogunkola, 2008).

An environment is a natural word, as a whole in a particular geographical area. The issue of air pollution is also one of the environmental impact of coal industry or tropospheric ozone of indoor air quality. The environmental sustainability is the rate of renewable of resources harvest and pollution creation, with the effect of think-pair share learning strategy on student achievement in basic science, basically for junior secondary school under the approached of environmental issue which is basically to be discuss at a junior level for basic science course. Environmental issues sustain and threaten our planet and the issue needs to be approach pragmatically which can eventually helps the student to solve environmental problem or issues. One of the issues of environmental sustainability is the highest number of increase in inter-relatedness global issues such as poverty, inequality hunger with environmental degradation or deforestation (Ajiboye & Ajitoni, 2008).

Environmental degradation or deforestation in addition with poverty alleviation are urgent global issue on environmental sustainability that have a lot in common but needs to be treated separately, most countries have suffered from various environmental problems such as increasing devastating floods, degradation which is often believe to be resulting from large scale deforestation. Sustainability is critical for the world majorly to develop without following the environmental damaging process of the world currently industrialize nation, the highlight of  the interconnectedness of humanity and all other forms of life had really explain the fact that we cannot take environment for granted. Humanity has a responsibility not only to each other but to environment as well, as the environment has long sustain us and can only continue to do so if we do not destroy it, the idea of sustainable development grows from numerous environmental movement (Alebiosu, 2005).

Development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs. The sustainable development encompasses a numbers of area and highlight sustainability as the ideas of environmental economic social progress and equity all within the limit of natural resources. The idea or issue of environmental sustainability with a functionality of the student to know the importance  of learning or acquiring think-pair share learning strategy In other to apply the knowledge in solving an environmental issues such as deforestation. Deforestation is the clearing of forest for wood, farming or other purpose without an immediate replanting of new trees.

The application of think-pair share  collaboration learning strategy in which the student work together to solve a problems or answer a question can also be applied or been of use in solving the environmental issue of deforestation with the exposure of the idea the student has acquired to solve a social problem or issue such as deforestation in generality. The student really needs to know about their physical environment in addition with the issue of environmental sustainability in our society. Our environment is very vital or crucial to our existence because it influence and affect our life

In order to improve the quality of life and enhance socio-economic development, Nigerians need to have positive attitude towards learning of science. Learning of science will therefore provide the necessary leverage for desired development. Viewed differently, one may opine that failure to acquire basic scientific skills and its applications, will make Nigeria to remain a consumer of science products and neither a producer nor a manufacturer.

Bajah (2004) asserted that linkage has been established between the study of science and training of young people in the utilisation of their scientific knowledge in solving environmental, social, economic and political problems and positive attitude. Alebiosu (2005) in her work on indigenous science practices and application to secondary school science observed that some indigenous practices were found to have scientific undertones and would yield good benefits if not disregarded. She also observed that there was a rich insight into the existence of link between these practices and modern science as identified by secondary school science teachers in relation to some school science concepts.

The challenge that seems to have lingered for quite some time now is the question of female participation in science and related subjects. Gender could be a strong issue of human conduct and that differences have been documented between the attitudes, behaviors, and achievement of males and females (Aguele & Uhumuavbi, 2008).  Some studies have shown that there are distinguishing differences in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skill achievements of students with respect to gender (Ogunkola, 2008), whereas some others provided reports that there are no distinguishing differences (Duch, 2001). This tends to suggest that there is need to examine gender influence in teaching strategies as one of the intervening variables in this study.

1.2       Statement of the Problems

The problem of student’s academic performance in Physics is not with the subject as it was but a lack of interest as a result of teaching method being used. Interest in the subject will critically influence students’ attentiveness, degree of commitment and concentration on learning. Relevance of subject matter to one’s concept of life and aspiration plays a major role in being interested and motivated while learning is taking place. Methods for learning Physics should therefore be made stimulating and attractive to students in addition to being the means of preparing and selecting the next generations of students of higher education who in turn become the nation’s professional teachers or leaders.

Think-Pair-Share Instructional Strategy is a new trajectory against the long lived conventional methods of teaching and judging students’ intelligence based on ability to solve problems, utilize logic and think critically. The Think-Pair-Share approach has evolved and been embraced widely especially in the United States. Many educators and researchers abroad are of the view that the approach works well in improving students’ achievements and attitude in all subjects. If this approach would yield the same result with Nigeria students’ consistent poor performance in physics would change. All based on the premise that education should focus on bringing out an individual’s potential and work towards developing and strengthening these potentials many educators have embraced “Think-Pair-Share Instructional Strategy” (Onika, Burton, and Durham 2008). This study therefore aimed at ascertaining the effect of think-pair-share learning strategy on students’ achievement in basic science in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State.  

• Purpose of the Study

The study examines the effect of think-pair-share learning strategy on students’ achievement in basic science: Specifically, the study aims:

1. to determine how think-pair-share affects student academic achievement.
2. to examine the effect of think pair share on the attitude of students towards physics.
3. to examine the gender related difference in the academic achievement of students taught physics using think-pair share.
4. to examine the gender related difference in the attitude of physics students after being expose to think-pare share instructional strategy.

1.4       Research Question

For the purpose of the study a number of research questions have been raised and they include;

1. What is the effect of think-pair-share instructional strategy on students’ academic achievement in senior secondary II Physics?
2. What is the effect of think-pair-share on the attitude of secondary school toward physics?
3. What is the gender related difference in the academic achievement of students taught physics using think-pair share?
4. What is the perceived effect of think-pair-share on male and female students’ attitude to Physics?

1.5       Research Hypotheses

The following research questions are formulated and to be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

1. There is no significant difference in the academic achievement between students taught physics using think-pair share instructional strategy and those taught using conventional method.
2. There is no significant difference in attitude of students toward Physics using think-pair share instructional strategy and other instructional strategy.
3. There is no significant gender related difference in the academic achievement of students taught physics using think-pair share and those taught using conventional method.
4. There is no significant gender related difference in the attitude of physics students after being exposed to think-pare share instructional strategy and other subjects.

1.6       Scope of the Study

The work examines effect of think-pair-share learning strategy on students’ achievement in basic science in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State.    with a view to explore two selected Secondary Schools in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.5       Research Hypotheses

The following hypothetical statement was suggested for the study:

The following research questions are formulated and to be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

1. There is no significant difference in the academic achievement between students taught physics using think-pair share instructional strategy and those taught using conventional method.
2. There is no significant difference in attitude of students toward Physics using think-pair share instructional strategy and other instructional strategy.
3. There is no significant gender related difference in the academic achievement of students taught physics using think-pair share and those taught using conventional method.
4. There is no significant gender related difference in the attitude of physics students after being exposed to think-pare share instructional strategy and other subjects.

1.6       Scope of the Study

The work examines effect of think-pair-share learning strategy on students’ achievement in basic science with a view to explore three selected Secondary Schools in Shomolu Local Government.

1.7       Significance of the Study

The significance of the study are stated below:

The significance of the study lies in the hope that the findings would be of benefit to: Ministry of Education. The Ministry uses the study to understand the think-pair-share learning strategy on students’ achievement and attitude in basic science and as result focus more attention on how to improve students’ academic performance in basic science.

Again, it will enable both public and private secondary school proprietors to be able to plan systematically for the use or application of think-pair-learning strategy in various schools. Other stakeholders of education (parents, students, teachers, support staff, donors, will use the study as a checkpoint to act as a safeguard against any future happenings of the same nature.

Furthermore, the study will help students who participated in think-pair-share learning strategy to be better equipped at reporting the experimental process and experiment’s result compared to control group students who participate in physical lab applications.

Definition of Terms

Think–Pair–Share (TPS): Think-Pair-Share. Think-pair-share is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work together to solve a problem or answer a question about an assigned reading.

Collaborative Learning: an instruction method in which students work in groups toward a common academic goal.

Academic Achievement: This is known as student’s outcome in internal or external examination, test or continuous assessment. A good example is school impromptu test, short exams or oral test.

Individual Learning: an instruction method in which students work individually at their own level and rate toward an academic goal.

Lecture Method:  The lecture method is a teaching method where the instructor acts as the primary information giver.

Physics: Physics is the scientific study of matter and energy and how they interact with each other.

Learning: Learning is the act of acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing existing, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information.

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