Effect of Concept Mapping on Students Achievement in Basic Technology in Junior Secondary Schools in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of concept mapping on students’ achievement, in Basic 
Technology in junior secondary schools in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State. 
Quasi-experimental research design of equivalent post-test treatment and control group was used 
for the study. Two research questions were posed to guide the study and two hypotheses tested at 
0.05 level of significance were used. A sample size of 400 JSS11 junior secondary school Basic 
Technology students was selected by simple random sampling technique for the study. Research 
instruments titled Basic Technology Achievement Test and Basic Technology Interest Inventory 
Scale with reliability co-efficient index of 0.96 and 0.73 respectively were used. This was 
obtained using test re-test method and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Data were analysed 
using mean, standard deviation and z-test. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the 
Research questions while z-test was used to test the Hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The 
study revealed that Students taught basic technology using concept mapping teaching techniques 
had higher mean achievement score than those taught using lecture method. Male students 
achieved higher than their female counterparts in Basic Technology. It was recommended that 
Basic Technology teachers should incorporate this technique as one of the techniques used in 
teaching Basic Technology in the classroom so as to enhance the learning of Technological 
concepts, laws and theories. In-service training should be given to Basic Technology teachers 
through intensive workshops and seminars on concept mapping and co-operative learning amongst 
others. Curriculum developers should include the teaching of concept mapping strategies in the 
Basic Technology curricula of teacher education institution.