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3.5 Research Procedure

3.5.3 Development of a Framework of Incorporation

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A documented software requirements specification provides a baseline for both validation and verification (U.S. Department of Food and Drug Administration, 2002). Verification, testing and other tasks that support software validation occur during each phase of the software life cycle activities. Software requirements specification was evaluated to verify for accuracy, completeness, consistency, testability and clarity among others. The evaluators who are software Engineers / Programmers attested to its compliance. Software testing entails running software products under known conditions with defined inputs and documented outcomes that can be compared to the predefined expectation (U.S. Department of Food and Drug Administration, 2002). Alpha testing, which is an actual operational testing by the potential users or customers or an independent team at the developer‟s site was conducted. Complex validation was however unnecessary since the database is a simple one.

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iii) Structuring experiences and the learning environment so that there are opportunities for learners to „test out‟ their ideas and prove the correct concepts to themselves. This method of teaching often brings out conceptual change in the learner. The framework of incorporation of Ethnoscience Method, placed side by side with the conventional teaching model is diagrammatically represented below:

Figure 3.1 Diagrammatic Representation Of Methods

Ethnoscience Instructional Method Modified Lecture Method

Brief Introduction of Concept

Enumeration and discussion of related common Yorùbá sayings on the concept using information from ED

Eliciting responses from learners and encouraging them to list more related

Yorùbá sayings and other prior knowledge

Presentation of the new science concept

Comparison of new concept and related cultural beliefs and classification of beliefs into

(a) Compatible sayings (b) Modifiable sayings (c ) Contradictory sayings

Interaction with relevant Instructional Materials including culturally related materials

Evaluation

Brief Introduction of Concept

Review of students‟ prior knowledge

Presentation of the new science concept

Interaction with relevant Instructional Materials

Evaluation

76 3.5.4 Procedure for Data Collection on the Field

Permission of the Principals and teachers in the participating schools was sought before the commencement of the training. The procedure and work schedule is as follows:

Table 3.6 Procedure and Work Schedule

S/N Activity Duration

1 Training of teachers on the use of the two methods 2 weeks

2 Administration of Pretest 1 week

3 Treatment 8 weeks

4 Administration of Posttest 1 week

3.5.4.1 Training of Teachers

An orientation programme was organized for 10 participating Basic Science teachers.

Separate sessions were organized for two groups of teachers. One group consisting of six teachers was trained in the use of the Ethnoscience Instructional method and another group consisting of four teachers was trained in the use of the Modified Lecture Method. During the training session, a general description of the treatment and control as well as the procedure involved was practically demonstrated respectively.

The treatment group was exposed to both soft and hard copies of ED. Teachers in this group were asked to compare the two copies in terms of ease of use. They all agreed that the soft copy was easier to access than the hard copy. On whether they would be using the soft copy for their classes if selected for the study, the answer was a unanimous no. They preferred the hard copy because none of them had a personal computer. The teachers were thereafter

i) made to organize and teach lessons based on their assigned roles.

ii) trained on how to administer the data gathering instruments.

Teachers Performance Evaluation Sheet (TPES) {Appendix 6} was then used to assess the performance of the teachers. One teacher from each sub-group (Rural Modified lecture method, rural Ethnoscience method, Urban Modified lecture method, and Urban Ethnoscience method) was finally selected based on their performance. One teacher was engaged in each school.

77 3.5.4.2 Administration of Pretest

The instruments were administered in the following order: Attitude Towards Science Scale (ATSS) was administered first followed by Conception of Scientific Phenomena Assessment Sheet (CSPAS) to avoid a possible influence of Basic Science Cognitive Achievement Test (BSCAT) on students‟ attitude to science. The administration of BSCAT therefore followed immediately. All the subjects participated in the pre-test exercise.

3.5.4.3 Treatment

This lasted for eight weeks. The instructional procedure for implementing the instructional method that was employed to teach the concepts for each group is as follows:

3.5.4.3a Experimental Group: Ethnoscience Instructional Method (EIM) in Basic Science Group.

Treatment in this group involved the following steps:

- Teacher introduces the concept without going into the scientific details.

- Teacher enumerates and discusses common Yorùbá sayings that are related to the concept being learnt based on available information from Ethnoscience Database (ED).

- Students‟ responses are elicited and they are encouraged to mention more related common Yorùbá sayings and other prior knowledge in respect of the concept.

- The new scientific concept is then presented by the teacher.

- Students listen to the teacher, write down chalkboards illustrations and are allowed to ask questions on areas of the topic not clear to them.

- Students are asked to classify the local sayings into compatible, modifiable and contradictory groups when compared with the new science concept.

- Students interact with instructional materials.

- Teacher interacts with students to re-examine the compatible and modifiable beliefs into the scientific concept without condemning the contradictory beliefs.

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- Students are asked to explain possible reasons for the contradiction between the scientific concept and the local sayings.

- Teacher gives questions on the topic to the students in form of quiz.

- Students answer the questions randomly.

- Teacher recognizes and praises correct responses and guides others to correct answers.

- Teacher gives assignment.

There were three periods per week for eight weeks.

3.5.4.3b Control Group: Modified Lecture Method (MLM) in Basic Science Group The control group‟s lesson involved the following steps:

i) Teacher introduces the concept without going into the scientific details.

ii) Teacher elicits students‟ prior knowledge on the science concept.

iii) Teacher presents the lesson in form of lecture and demonstrations.

iv) Students listen to the teacher, write down chalkboard illustrations and are allowed to ask questions on areas of the topic not clear to them.

v) Students interact with instructional materials.

vi) Teacher asks few questions and randomly picks students to answer them.

vii) Teacher recognizes and praises correct responses and guides others to correct answers.

viii) Teacher gives assignment to the students.

There were three periods per week for eight weeks.

3.5.4.4 Administration of Posttest

After 8 weeks of treatment, post-test was administered on the two groups (Experimental and Control groups). ATSS, CSPAS and BSCAT were re-administered again in that order.

79 3.6 Data Analysis

The study adopted the use of both descriptive and inferential statistics for analysing the data gathered. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses and differences between the groups using the pretest scores as covariates. Estimated Marginal Means was used to identify where such differences occurred to determine the performance of each group. Line graphs were also used to show the estimated marginal mean of post scores where significant differences were obtained. Simple main effects analysis was also used to decompose the significant interaction effects.

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CHAPTER FOUR RESULT AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the result, and discusses the findings of the study. The sequence of presentation is in accordance with the research questions raised and the hypotheses tested.

4.1 Answering of Research Questions