Effect of context-based instructional approach on students’ science process skills acquisition in environmental concepts

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine how students’ acquisition of Integrated Science Process Skills (ISPS) was affected by the integration of a context-based instructional approach (CBIA) with the five stages of the learning cycle (5Es LC). Pre- and post-test assessments were administered using a quasi-experimental design to two groups of ninth-grade students: 46 students in the treatment group who were exposed to CBIA and 48 students in the comparison group who were taught using a conventional instructional strategy (CIA). The assessments focused on environmental topics, and ANCOVA, independent sample t-tests, and paired sample t-tests were used in the data analysis. The science process skill test scores of the treatment group showed a significant favourable effect of CBIA, with no discernible gender-based differences. In conclusion, the study suggested that the integration of CBIA with 5Es LC was more effective than traditional teaching methods in improving students’ ISPS proficiency.

Keywords

• Context-based instructional approach
• conventional instruction approach
• integrated science process skill