AN ASSESSMENT OF PUPILS’ ABILITY TO USE TWO BASIC SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS (OBSERVATION AND CLASSIFICATION) AT BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

This study was designed to assess pupils' ability’ to use two of the seven Basic Science Process Skills (Observation and Classification) at Basic Science and Technology School Level. A frequency distribution was employed to determine the mean and standard deviation of their ability to observe and classify objects. T-test was equally used to find out if there is significant difference between male and female pupils’ ability to observe and to classify objects. Finally, Pearson Product moment correlation coefficient was employed to correlate results of their ability to observe and that of their ability to classify. Results from the study revealed that acquisition of observation and classification skills are independent of gender. And there is strong relationship between students’ ability to obseive objects and their ability to classify objects. In view of the results from this study, it was recommended that: science should be taught to students as a process not as body of knowledge and the importation of Basic Science Process Skills should be a major goal of science instruction at Basic Science and Technology level of schooling.