Influence of Nature Experience on Pupils Academic Performance in Basic Science in Ilorin South, Kwara State

ABSTRACT
Experiences in nature have been shown to improve students' learning engagement by lowering stress, improving concentration, and stimulating curiosity. The main purpose of this study to investigate the influence of nature experience on pupils academic performance in Basic Science in Ilorin south local government area in kwara state Kwara State. Specifically to determine the level of pupils academic performance in basic science in Ilorin south local government area in Kwara State, ascertain the nature experience that pupils had in basic science I'm kwara state and determine the influence of nature experience on academic performance in basic science. The population for this study comprised all pupils in Kwara State. The target population comprises all primary school pupils in basic class offering basic science within Ilorin East Local Government Area, Ilorin Kwara State. Simple random sampling technique was used 100 respondents to constitute the sample for the study A total of 100 questionnaire forms were given out and all 100 were retrieved on the spot and all were valid. The findings of the study revealed there is low academic performance of pupils in Basic Science in Kwara State, the major nature experience of pupils in Basic Science in Kwara State, learning about how plants and animals grow in nature, and there is no significant relationship between pupils' nature experience and their academic performance in Basic Science.
Based on the findings, it was recommended that Teachers should adopt more engaging and learner-centred strategies, such as inquiry-based and experiential learning, to elevate pupils’ academic performance beyond the moderate level, schools should integrate structured and curriculum-aligned outdoor science activities to enrich pupils’ nature experiences and enhance learning relevance and educators and curriculum planners should ensure that nature-based experiences are purposefully designed to connect with specific Basic Science objectives