Impact of Progressive Science Initiative and Progressive Mathematics Initiative Teaching Pedagogy on Achievement: A Quantitative Approach on STEM Students in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The ongoing underperformance of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects within Nigerian secondary schools continues to be a significant educational issue, prompting the need for the investigation of novel teaching strategies. This research investigated the influence of the Progressive Science Initiative and Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PSI-PMI) pedagogical approach on the mathematical performance of STEM students in Ogun State, Nigeria, while also considering the moderating effects of gender and attitudes towards STEM disciplines. A quasi-experimental design utilising a pretest-posttest control group was employed, featuring a 2×2×2 factorial matrix that included treatment (PSI-PMI versus conventional), gender (male versus female), and attitude towards STEM (positive versus negative). Four null hypotheses were evaluated at the 0.05 level of significance. Participants included 102 Senior Secondary School Two (SSS 2) STEM students, selected purposefully from two public secondary schools located in the Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Three instruments were utilised: the PSI-PMI Treatment Package (conceived by the researchers), the Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT; r = .75), and the Attitude Towards STEM Scale (ATSS; r = .81). The MAT and ATSS underwent validation via expert review and trial-testing, with internal consistency assessed through KR-20 and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. Data were subjected to analysis through the method of Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), utilising pretest MAT scores as a covariate. Findings indicated a statistically significant main effect of treatment on students’ mathematics achievement, F(1, 93) = 168.277, p < .05, η2 = .644, with PSI-PMI students (X̄ = 21.80) significantly surpassing their counterparts in the conventional group (X̄ = 13.33). Gender did not have a significant impact on mathematics achievement, F(1, 93) = 2.385, p > .05, and neither did attitude towards STEM, F(1, 93) = .039, p > .05. In a similar vein, the interaction effects concerning gender and attitude, F(1, 93) = .098, p > .05, as well as those involving treatment, gender, and attitude, F(1, 93) = 1.177, p > .05, did not reach statistical significance. These findings illustrate that PSI-PMI pedagogy serves as a strong and inclusive instructional approach that improves STEM achievement regardless of students' gender or attitudes. It is advisable for mathematics and STEM educators to embrace PSI-PMI as a fundamental instructional method. Furthermore, it is essential for school administrators to support teacher training in its application, while government and educational policymakers should prioritise the establishment of the necessary technological infrastructure to ensure effective PSI-PMI implementation in secondary schools throughout Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.