Project- Based Learning and Secondary School Physics Students’ Academic Achievement in Light Topics in Oyo Metropolis, Oyo State

One of the fundamental topics in Physics but found uninteresting by students is light. This birthed the need for a strategy to aid its teaching and learning, which this study focused on by determining the effect of project-based learning on academic achievement of secondary school physics students in light topics in Oyo metropolis. Guided by two research questions and two hypotheses, the study adopted a pre-test, post-test 2 X 2 quasi-experimental research design, consisting of two experimental groups and two control groups. The population of the study was 3751 Senior Secondary 2 (SS2) physics students in Oyo metropolis. A sample of 145 SS2 Physics students from four intact classes participated in the study via multi-stage and purposive sampling techniques: Experimental group (Urban, N=48, Rural, N=33) and Control Group (Urban N=37 Rural N=27) from the four selected schools. Data were collected using a validated Light Topic Achievement Test (LTAT) (KR-20=0.86). Research questions were answered using frequency counts and standard deviation, while ANCOVA was employed to test the hypotheses. The findings showed a significant effect of project-based learning strategy on the academic achievement of Physics students (F (1;142) =13.24, P=0.00 < 0.05); and a significant interaction effect of project-based learning strategy on academic achievement of secondary school physics students on the bases of school location (F(1; 142) = 36.05), P=0.00 < 0.05. The study concluded that project-based learning strategy was effective in teaching Light topics; and for teaching all school locations. It was recommended that physics educators should adopt Project-based learning strategy to enhance academic achievement in Light topics and at any school location.