Gender Difference in Nigerian Junior Secondary Students’ Academic Achievement in Basic Science

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of gender on Junior Secondary students’ academic
achievement in basic science using cooperative learning teaching strategy. Total number of one hundred and twenty (120)
students obtained from the intact classes of the three selected Junior Secondary Schools in the three selected Local
Government Areas of Ogun State, South-west Nigeria, participated in the study. This study employed a quasi-experimental
design. Lesson note based on the jigsaw II cooperative learning strategy and Achievement Test for Basic Science Students
(ATBSS) were the instruments used to collect the relevant data. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and
independent samples t-test statistical methods. Findings of this study revealed that there was no significant difference in
academic achievement of male and female students at the pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest levels respectively. This
research suggested that in order to encourage more women into pure sciences, and science-oriented courses, interventions
need to be designed that focus not only on the academic achievement of girls but also in how to make science-related
occupations more interesting for young, high achieving girls.