GENDER AND LEVELS OF ATTAINMENT OF SCIENTIFIC LITERACY AMONG SCIENCE STUDENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTIVIST INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

The study investigated levels of attainment of scientific literacy by junior secondary (8th grade) male and female students. Quasi-experiment of non- equivalent control group design was used. A total of 162 students were selected by purposive sampling of four coeducational schools out of twenty three in Ohafia Local Government Area, Abia state, Nigeria. In each of the four schools, an intact class was randomly selected. These were randomly assigned, two to experimental and control groups. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviations and the hypotheses tested using ANCOVA. TOSL instrument for data collection had parts A and B. Reliability Coefficient of part A was established using Spearman rank order correlation and B using Kuder-Richardson formula 20(K-R). The internal consistencies were 0.69 and 0.72. The findings showed that constructivist instruction enhanced students’ attainment of scientific literacy irrespective of their sexes. Based on the findings recommendations were made.