EXPLORING STUDENTS' COGNITIVE SKILLS IN BASIC SCIENCE USING PEER TUTORING STRATEGY IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

This study explored peer tutoring strategy’s effect on students’ cognitive skills in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria using quasi-experimental design.  The population of the study was 5,874 upper Basic II students from 21 public schools in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State comprising 3,200 males and 2,674 females.  The sample size was 162 Upper Basic II students (89 males and 73 females). The study utilized a multi-stage sampling procedure to select the sample from the population. The instrument for data collection was Basic Science Cognitive Skills Test (BSCST) developed by the researchers. The instrument was validated by three experts in Faculty of Education, Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu University, Makurdi for face validation. It was trial tested on 30 students in a school within the study area but was not part of the sampled schools and the reliability coefficient was 0.87 through Kuder-Richardson formula 21. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer research questions. Analysis of Covariance was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.  Findings revealed a significant difference between cognitive skills of students taught Basic Science using peer tutoring teaching strategy and those taught conventional chalk and talk strategy (F1, 158 = 3199.243; p = 0.000 < 0.05); there was no significant difference between cognitive skills of male and female students taught Basic Science using peer tutoring teaching strategy (F 1, 80 = 0.738; p = 0.393 > 0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended among others that teachers should adopt the use of peer tutoring strategy to enhance students’ cognitive skills in Basic Science. Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), Federal and State Ministries of Education should regularly organize workshops, seminars and symposia on how to use more effective strategies like peer tutoring in teaching Basic Science to improve students’ cognitive skills