A META-ANALYSIS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTEXT-BASED APPROACH IN IMPROVING THE SECONDARY STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE

Science education is increasingly emphasized in developing countries due to its role in enhancing citizens' scientific knowledge and competencies. However, students often struggle with science curricula that are dense in content, terminology, and abstract concepts, resulting in uneven academic performance. A context-based approach to science teaching has emerged as a promising solution, enabling curriculum and instruction to be grounded in real-world contexts. Despite its growing popularity and reported success, there remains a need to consolidate and assess existing research to determine the approach's effectiveness across different secondary grade levels and scientific disciplines. This study employed a meta-analytic method to evaluate the impact of the context-based approach on secondary students’ academic achievement in science. Fourteen empirical studies published between 2011 and 2024 from Africa, Asia, and Europe met the inclusion criteria. Of these, six studies (n = 572) focused on Senior High School (SHS) students, while eight (n = 747) examined Junior High School (JHS) students. Research articles were retrieved through platforms like Crossref, Google Scholar, OpenAlex, and Semantic Scholar, with Harzing’s Publish or Perish ensuring comprehensive coverage. Data including sample sizes, means, and standard deviations were analyzed using JAMOVI to calculate Hedge's g and generate forest and funnel plots, along with the Begg-Mazumdar test. Moderator analysis was conducted via Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 4. Results showed a strong positive effect of the context-based approach on students’ science achievement (ES = 2.14), with no significant variation across grade levels or scientific domains. Future research is encouraged to explore the nuanced factors influencing its implementation and effectiveness.