Abstract:
The study was designed to develop and validate achievement test in environmental related physics concepts for Senior Secondary two students. This became necessary because of the need to have a well developed and validated instrument for teachers use in continuous assessment exercise. The study was guided by five research questions and three hypotheses, using instrumentation design. The population for the study was made up of 501 physics students in Senior Secondary School two classes (2013/2014 session) in Idah Education Zone of Kogi State. The sample comprised of 68 male and 83 female physics students, giving a total of 151 students. The instrument developed and validated was Environmental Related physics Concepts Achievement Test (ERPCAT) for SS II. The validity and reliability of the instrument was established. The reliability index was found to be 0.7 using Kudder-Richardson formula 21 (KR – 21). Mean and standard deviation were used to provide answers to the research questions, while t – test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study showed, among others things, that there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the mean achievement scores of students based on gender. The null hypothesis on the influence of gender on student’s achievement was rejected in favour of the females. A significant difference (P < 0.05) in the mean achievement of Physics students in various locations was established. There is a significant difference (P < 0.05) established for school type. Based on these findings, the researcher recommended, among others, that Senior Secondary 2 physics teachers should make use of ERPCAT or tests similar to them in the assessment of achievements of their students in Environmental Related Physics Concepts. There is a need to improve on the resources (material and human) available in rural schools.
