Effect of Jigsaw Instructional Strategy on Primary Schoolers’ Learning Engagement in Basic Science in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the jigsaw instructional strategy on primary school pupils’ engagement in Basic Science in Owerri Education Zone, Imo State. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. A quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent control group design was adopted. The population comprised 18,025 Primary Four pupils, while a sample of 155 pupils (76 males and 79 females) was drawn from four intact classes, with 90 assigned to the experimental group and taught using the jigsaw strategy and 65 assigned to the control group and taught using the lecture method. The instrument used was the Pupils’ Learning Engagement Scale (PLES), which was validated by experts and found to be reliable, with a coefficient of 0.80. Data were collected over a 14-week instructional period and analysed using the mean, standard deviation, and ANCOVA at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that pupils taught using the jigsaw strategy significantly outperformed those taught using the lecture method in learning engagement. Although male pupils showed slightly higher engagement gains than female pupils, the gender difference in engagement was not significant, and no significant interaction effect between gender and instructional method was observed. The study concluded that the jigsaw instructional strategy enhanced engagement more effectively than the lecture method. It was recommended that teachers adopt jigsaw-based instruction, that teacher-education programmes strengthen training in its use, and that cooperative learning be encouraged in primary science classrooms to improve learning outcomes.