The results of the study were presented in tabular form according to different research questions and hypotheses.
Table I: Pre-Test Mean Achievement scores of the three experimental groups; E1, E2, and E3 on BSAT
Groups Treatment N X SD
Experimental group 1 (E1) CMIS-LM 30 45.73 2.22
Experimental 2 (E2) Mne-LM 30 45.06 2.49
Experimental group 3 (E3) LM 30 45.36 2.51
Presented in table 1 is the pre-test mean achievement score of the three experimental groups which are as follows; 45.75, 45.06 and 45.36 respectively. It implies that the three groups do not differ much with regard to previous knowledge or awareness of concept maps instructional strategy and mnemonic skills before the treatment.
Research Question 1:
What are the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught basic science using concept mapping instructional strategy combined with lecture method (male and female in E1).
Table 2: Mean achievement score and standard deviations of male and female students in E1
Treatment Gender N X SD Difference
Concept Mapping/
Lecture Method (CMIS) E1
Male
Female
16
14
67.43
67.92
3.28
2.67
0.49
Table 2 shows mean achievement scores and standard deviations of male and female students in E1. Table 2 shows that the mean score of male student is 67.43 with standard deviation score of 3.28; while that of female students is 67.92 with standard deviation of 2.6. The result implies that female students performed better than the male students. The mean difference is 0.49 and it was further tested for significant difference. The difference in their standard deviation shows that the scores of both male and female spread further apart from the mean.
This means that some students scored higher/lower than the mean in the post-test.
Hypothesis 1:
There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught basic science with concept mapping instructional strategy combined with lecture method (CMIS-LM).
Table 3: ANCOVA Summary table for f-test of significant difference between male and female students in experimental group E1 at post-test
Dependent variable = Post-test
Tests of between subject effects Source Type 3 Sum
of Squares
df Mean
Squares
f Sig. Partial Eta Square
Corrected model 4709.9539a 4 1177.488 160.422 .000 .921
Intercept 800.605 1 800.605 109.075 .000 .665
Pre-test 26.321 1 26.321 3.586 .064 .061
Treatment 4650.664 1 4650.664 633.610 .000 .920
Gender 2.312 1 2.312 .315 .577 .006
Treatment Gender 18.183 1 18.183 2.477 .121 .043
Error 403.697 55 7.340
Total 212.913.000 60
Corrected Total 5113.650 59 a = R squared = 921 Adjusted R squared = 915
Table 3 shows ANCOVA summary for f-test of significant difference between the mean achievement score of male and female students taught basic science using concept mapping instructional strategy combined with lecture method. From table 5, the calculated f-value is 2.477, the P-value is .121 which is greater than 0.05 level of significance. This implies that there is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of male and female in experimental group 1. Thus the null hypothesis was not rejected.
Research Question 2:
What are the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught basic science using mnemonics skills combined with lecture method (E2).
Table 4: Post-test mean achievement scores and standard deviation of male and female students in E2
Treatment Group Gender N X SD X1-X2
(Mne-LM) E2 Male 15 69.26 2.89 0.6
Female 15 69.86 3.02
Presented in table 4 are the mean achievement scores and standard deviations of male and female students exposed to Mnemonic skills combined with lecture method at basic science post-test. The result in table 4 shows that the mean achievement score of females 69.86, is greater than that of males 69.26 (69.86 > 69.26). This implied that the females performed better than the males in the basic science achievement post-test. The mean difference is 0.6 which was further tested for significant difference. The standard deviations scores of male and
female are 2.89 and 3.02 respectively. The difference between their standard deviations show that the scores of both male and female spread around the mean. That means some students might have scored higher/lower than the mean.
Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught basic science using Mnemonic skills combined with lecture method (E2).
Table 5: ANCOVA Summary table for f-test of significant difference between male and female students in experimental group 2 at post-test
Dependent variable = Post-Test
Tests of between subject effects Source Type 3 Sum of
Squares
df Mean
Squares
f Sig. Partial Eta Square
Corrected model 5754.132a 4 1438.533 193.215 .000 .934
Intercept 783.828 1 783.828 105.284 .000 .657
Pretest 10.351 1 10.351 1.390 .245 .025
Treatment 5630.161 1 5630.161 756.247 .000 .932
Gender 4.676 1 4.676 .628 .456 .011
Treatment Gender 13.429 1 13.429 1.804 .185 .032
Error 409.468 55 7.445
Total 220726.000 60
Corrected 6163.600 59
Total
a = R squared = 9.34 (Adjusted R-Square = 929
Table 5 shows ANCOVA summary of f-test of significant difference between the mean achievement score of male and female students taught basic science using Mnemonic skills combined with lecture method at post-test.
From the table, the f-calculated is 1.804 and the P-value is .185 which is greater than 0.05 level of significance.
This implies that there is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of both male and female students in E2. Thus the null hypothesis was not rejected.
Discussion of Results
The findings of this study are discussed based on the research questions and the hypotheses.
With regard to research question I and H01 it was revealed that male and female students taught basic science using concept mapping instructional strategy combined with lecture method (experimental group E1) performed well in the post test. The female students had greater mean score, (67.92) than the male students, with mean score 67.43. The standard deviation scores for male and female are 3.28 and 2.67 respectively,
showing that their respective scores are very close to the mean. The mean difference is 0.49 which was tested for
significant difference. It was found that there is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students as shown in table 3. The f-cal is 2.477, the P-value is .121, which is greater than 0.05 level of significance.
The result obtained in this study is in line with the work of Okebukola (1993). He noted that CMIS is effective teaching strategy. He used the strategy to teach Ecology and Genetics in Senior Secondary School and noted that it greatly enhanced students’ achievement. The finding is also in line with the finding of Asiyal (2005) who noted that CMIS promotes meaningful learning. He used it to teach chemistry in senior secondary school and it enhanced the students’ achievement greatly. The finding is also in line with the work of Duru (2008).
Duru used it to teach biology in senior secondary school and noted that both male and female performed well in biology achievement test. The result obtained in this study is as a result of concept mapping instructional strategy combined with lecture method which enabled deeper understanding of concepts in students and thus enhanced their achievement in BSAT. The performance of male and female students is based on the fact that CMIS is gender friendly and therefore enhanced the participation and achievement of students in basic science.
With regard to research question 2 and hypotheses 2, the result of the study revealed that male and female students in experimental group 2 taught basic science using Mnemonic skills combined with lecture method performed well in the post test. The female had mean score of 69.86 which is greater than that of male 69.26. The standard deviation scores of males and females are 2.89 and 302 respectively showing that some students had scores closer to the mean. The mean difference is 0.6 which was tested for significant difference. The result revealed that there is no significant difference between the mean achievement score of male and female in the post-test. The value of f-cal is 1.804, and P-value is .185 which is greater than 0.05 level of significance. (See table 5).
The finding is in line with the work of Santrock (2004) and Duru (2017). Santrock found that Mnemonic skill strategy is effective in helping students improve their memory. Duru found that Mnemonic skill strategy is one of the effective study strategies for improving students’ memory for academic excellence. Duru stated that Mnemonic skills strategy is gender friendly. Santrock stated that Mnemonic strategy is of various types and can be used to teach male and female students any subject that involves use of Mnemonics skill to enhance students understanding and memory. The finding is an indication that Mnemonics is not gender biased; rather it supports students’ participation in class. Therefore the finding is on the side of the proposal that demands equal opportunity for both male and female in education and in science classes by advocates of gender equity.