ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effects of inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning instructional strategies on secondary school Biology students’ academic achievement and retention in Abia state. The need for the study arose from concerns expressed by stakeholder’s, committed scholars and researchers on the poor academic achievement and student’s retention in Biology, and the need to employ innovative interactive learning strategies to improve teaching and learning. Six specific objectives which gave rise to six research questions and six null hypotheses were formulated and pursued. The design of the study was a pre-test -post-test Quasi-experimental research design that involved two experimental and one control groups. The study was carried out in Abia state. The population of the study was 6,781 senior secondary school one (SS 1) Biology students in all the 160 co-educational public secondary schools in Abia State, consisting of 3279 males and 3502 females. A sample size of 108 SS1 Biology students from three (3) intact classes in three (3) public co-educational schools served as sample of this study. The instrument used for this study is Biology Achievement Test (BAT) which was adopted from WAEC past questions, duly validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was got using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Statistics. This gave a reliability coefficient of 0.75. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. It was found: that students taught with inquiry-based learning achieved more than students taught with cooperative learning instructional strategy and lecture method and it was significant. Students taught Biology with cooperative learning instructional strategy retained more than students taught Biology with Lecture method and inquiry-based learning and is significant. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that combined use of inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning instructional strategies should be used in teaching Biology lessons in the classroom to improve student’s academic achievement and retention in Biology.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication
iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables
vii
List of Appendices viii
Abstract
ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 7
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 8
1.4 Research Questions 9
1.5 Hypotheses 9
1.6 Significance of the Study 10
1.7 Scope of the Study 12
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED
LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Framework 13
2.1.1 Concept of biology 13
2.1.2 Concept
of teaching and learning 14
2.1.3 Lecture
teaching method 17
2.1.4 Inquiry-based learning 19
2.1.5 Cooperative
learning instructional strategy
23
2.1.6 Academic achievement in biology 29
2.1.7 Retention in biology 31
2.1.8 Gender 33
2.2 Theoretical Framework 35
2.2.1 Cognitive
development theory (Piaget, 1980) 35
2.2.2 Discovery
learning theory (Jerome Brunner, 1961)
36
2.2.3 Social
development theory (Vygosky, 1934) 37
2.2.4 Link
between the theories and this study 38
2.3 Empirical Studies 39
2.4 Summary of Literature Review 52
2.5 Knowledge Gained and Knowledge Gap from
Empirical Studies 53
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 The Design of the Study 55
3.2 Area of the Study 55
3.3 Population of the Study 56
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 56
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection 57
3.6 Validation of the Instrument 58
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 58
3.8 Method of Data Collection 59
3.9 Data Analysis 62
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results
63
4.2 Major Findings of the Study
76
4.3 Discussion of
Findings 78
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of the Study 82
5.2 Conclusion 84
5.3 Educational Implications of the Study 85
5.4 Recommendations 86
5.5 Suggestion for Further Research 86
References 88
Appendices 95
LIST
OF TABLES
4.1: Mean achievement scores of students taught
biology using inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning and
lecture method 63
4.2a: Analysis
of Covariance (ANCOVA) for the mean achievement score of
students exposed to
biology using inquiry-based learning and
cooperative learning
instructional strategy 64
4.2b: Post Hoc test multiple comparison of the
differences in achievement
among the
groups 65
4.3:
Mean retention scores of students
taught biology using inquiry-based
learning, cooperative learning instructional
strategy and lecture method 66
4.4a:
Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) for the mean
retention score of
students
exposed to biology using inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning instructional strategy and
lecture method 67
4.4b: Post Hoc test multiple comparison of the differences
in retention among the groups 68
4.5:
Mean achievement score of male and female students taught biology using inquiry-based learning 69
4.6: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) for the mean achievement
scores of male and female students
taught biology using inquiry-based learning 70
4.7: Mean Achievement Scores of Male and Female
Students Taught with
Cooperative Learning Instructional
Strategy 71
4.8: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) for the difference between the mean achievement scores
of male and female students taught biology using cooperative
learning instructional strategy
72
4.9:
Mean retention score of male and
female students taught with inquiry-based
learning 73
4.10: Analysis
of Covariance (ANCOVA) for the significant difference between the mean retention
scores of male and female students taught biology using inquiry-based learning 74
4.11: Mean retention score of male and female
students taught with cooperative learning instructional strategy 75
4.12: Analysis of
covariance on the mean retention score of
male and female
students taught biology using cooperative learning instructional
strategy 76
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Biology
appears to be the most popular science subject at Secondary School level. This
is partly because most art students consider Biology easier when compared to
Physics and Chemistry. Biology is the science which deals with the study of the
life of animals and plants alongside their interactions with their environment
(Michael, 2018). Biology plays an important role in all aspects of human life.
It is a prerequisite subject in the fields of medicine, agriculture,
biochemistry and even extends to the field of geology and mining. Due to its
indispensability, much emphasis has been placed on its instruction especially
at the secondary school level (Umuoke & Nwafor, 2014). This is to ensure
full realization of the objectives of the Biology syllabus as stated in the
National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, FRN, 2013).
The
objectives of the Biology syllabus for secondary schools, derived from the
National Policy on Education (2013) include to: prepare students to acquire
adequate laboratory and field skills in Biology; make the learners know their
environment; have meaningful and relevant knowledge in Biology; apply
scientific knowledge to everyday life in matters of personal and community
health; inculcate reasonable and functional scientific attitudes. These
objectives reveal the indispensable nature of the subject.
Due
to the importance of Biology, a lot have been done to improve Biology teaching
in secondary schools in Nigeria. Some of these include; equipment of the
Biology laboratories, sharing of mock ups and models, biological exhibitions,
among others. In spite of these, students continue to perform poorly in Biology
(Nwagbo, 2019).
The
analysis of students’ achievement in Biology in the May/June West African
Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) reveal\ed percentage passes of; 38.50%,
35.66%, 51.73%, 56.17%, 47.39%, 46.87, 44.93 and 50.52 in 2011, 2012, 2013,
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively. Thus, Biology pass rate remains
as low as 46.47% in the last decade (WAEC Chief examiner report, 2011-2018).
This decline in students’ performance over the years has been the outcry of
many stakeholders.
Many factors have been implicated to as the
cause of students’ poor achievement which invariably leads to poor retention in
Biology. Ibe (2015) opined teaching methodology, difficult nature of the
topics/concepts, lack of equipment and instructional materials as prevailing
factors. Many Biology concepts in the senior secondary school curriculum are
perceived to be broad, abstract and difficult to understand by the learners
(Okarter, 2018). West African Examination Council (WAEC) Chief Examiner’s
reports have consistently enumerated some of the weaknesses of the candidates
to be poor answers to questions bordering on descriptions, inability to adhere
to instructions, poor interpretation of questions, poor definitions, among
others. Nutrition in animal/food tests always pose problem to students arising
from inability to interpret the instructions and describe the procedures, among
others.
Contributing,
Ibe (2015) observed that poor preparation of the students due to weak
instructional strategies and dearth of instructional facilities account for
students’ poor performance at public examinations in Biology. The inability of
students to engage actively in the learning process tends to dispose students
to constant rote learning and examination misconduct leading to poor academic
achievement.
Furthermore,
Okarter (2018) also attributed students’ poor achievement in science subjects
to poor instructional and learning methods, involving rote- learning, excessive
copying of notes as encouraged by expository/lecture method of teaching. Academic achievement refers to a successful accomplishment or
Performance in a particular subject area. It is indicated by grades, marks and
scores of descriptive commentaries (Mberekpe, 2013). Academic performance also
refers to how Students deal with their studies and how they cope with or
accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers in a fixed time or
academic year. According to Horvath (2011), Academic achievement is the
students’ achievement on a standard of measurement such as achievement test,
skill test, and analytical thinking test. It could also be seen as the
knowledge attained or skills developed in school subjects usually designated by
test scores or marks assigned by the teacher (Miller, 2017; Mirabelli, 2019).
Okoli
in Usen (2019) indicated that many science teachers prefer the
expository/lecture method of teaching; that is, a teaching technique in which
one person, the teacher, presents a spoken discourse on a particular subject
matter and shy away from activity-oriented teaching methods which are
student-centered (such as inquiry method, discovery method, investigative
laboratory approach). Nwagbo (2019) observed that such teacher-centered
approach which places the teacher as the sole possessor of knowledge and the
students as passive recipients of knowledge may not enhance achievement and
retention in Biology.
Retention
is described as the capacity of storing or holding unto
what has been learnt and what the memory had stored. Bichi (as cited in Ubani, 2017)
conceptualized retention as the ability to retain and remember information or
knowledge in the memory after learning. In concert with this study, the
researcher conceptualized retention as the preservation of the after effects of
learning experiences that makes recall or recognition possible. The nature of
the materials to be coded contributes to the level of retention, quality and
level in terms of meaningfulness, concreteness and image involving
characteristic. It therefore implies that the students’ retention plays
complementary roles in determining academic achievement in any subject area or
discipline through appropriate instructional strategies. Many instructional strategies
have been reported by many researchers to enhance the retention of Biology
students. They include: use of analogy, concept mapping, computer assisted
instruction, among others (Neol, 2017; Anidu, 2015). However, there is seemingly no clear-cut evidence
on the effects of inquiry-based learning and cooperative instructional
strategies on the retention of Biology students.
The term ‘inquiry’ generally
signifies the process of finding or obtaining information through
investigation, often personally and voluntarily carried out by the person who
is eager to understand the phenomenon in question. Hiangs (as cited in Egbo,
2014) elaboration of inquiry-role included investigation of a problem, finding
truth or knowledge that requires thinking critically making observations,
asking questions, doing experiments, stating conclusions, thinking creatively
and using intuition as characteristics of inquiry. Hiangs further harped that
Inquiry is a process of understanding the characteristics of science through scientific
experiments. He maintained that it is through trial testing and further
information search that individuals begin to see patterns or connections, often
leading to discoveries. This is consistent with constructivism theory. In line
with this study, inquiry-based learning is learner centered approach that
enables students to find solutions to problems by themselves with minimal
teachers’ input. Inquiry-based learning enhances cooperation among students.
Hence, many educators have forecasted to study it alongside cooperative
instructional strategy.
Among the different methods of
inquiry-based learning, project was adopted for this study. A project, as
describe in this study, is a task provided by the teacher for the students to
carry out in groups. Ideally, there should be not more than three students to a
group in a project aimed at discovering the essence of the task. (Hiang, 2015).
Some examples of projects in Biology include dissecting a flower; testing
plants and gravity; fruit flies and tea experiment; cleaning oil off birds; and
finding out how light affects the rates at which foods spoil. Project allows
for more meaningful understanding of biological concepts amongst students;
enhances students’ academic performance; enables learners to engage in the
processes of evaluating biological contents to be learned, anticipating how
that knowledge would be used, as well as applying the biological contents in
authentic situations (Kanter, 2018).
On the other hand, Horvath (2011)
conceptualized cooperative learning as a successful teaching strategy in which
some teams, each with students of different levels of ability use a variety of
learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Here, each
member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught, but also
for helping team-mates learn; thus, creating an atmosphere of collective achievement.
Students work through the assignment until all group (team) members successfully
understand and complete it. It therefore, partly harmonises individual
difference among students. Slavin (2011) harped that it is a teaching method
that involves students in learning process in order to understand and learn
content of the subject.
Cooperative learning instructional
strategy is the deliberate instructional use of heterogeneous small groups of
students who work together to maximize each other’s learning. Cooperative
learning is described as the instructional practice of placing students into
small groups and having them work together towards a common goal. Each group
member learns new materials and helps other group members learn important
information. Cooperative learning strategy consists of social interactions
among students based on equal partnership in the learning experience, as
opposed to fixed teacher-learner roles (Amosun, 2012).
The method of cooperative
instructional strategy used in this study is Jigsaw cooperative learning
strategy. Jigsaw co-operative learning strategy is an instructional strategy in
which small groups, each with students of different ability levels, use variety
of learning activities to improve their understanding of a lesson. The Jigsaw
cooperative learning strategy is an efficient way for students to learn
classroom material. The process encourages students to listen and be engaged in
a group setting. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, each member of the group plays an
essential role in their group. What makes this strategy so effective is that
group members work together as a team to achieve a common goal. Students are
not able to succeed unless everyone works together (Chan, 2014).
Both inquiry-based learning and
cooperative learning instructional strategies are seemingly beneficial in this
information age of creativity and critical thinking. When the students are taught with inquiry-based
learning and
cooperative learning instructional strategies, they give students the
knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which also lead to covering of the
syllabus by the teacher; this is an important principle in Nigeria education. These
benefits of creativity and critical thinking may be attributed to the gender of
the students.
Gender has been identified as one of the factors
influencing students’ interest and achievement in learning (Nworgu, 2015). The
concept of gender has attracted attention of many researchers, scientists and
psychologists. Gender here refers to the cultural constructs and social
positions which members of the society attach to being male and female.
Obviously, males and females in view of their biological structures are
naturally different. While men are physically stronger, the females are weaker
and (this sometimes often) creates poor patronage in physically demanding
careers by females (Mohammed, 2015). More so, females tend to perform better in
the concept of human nutrition as men have a misconception that it is catering
services (Anidu, 2015). Furthermore; while males are the more active in the
society, their female counterparts tend to have better emotional and cognitive
approaches to socialization (Rose and Rudolph, 2006). It becomes necessary to
know that there might be different responses of the male and female gender to available
teaching strategies which may affect their academic achievement and retention.
There are divergent scholarly propositions on effect of gender on academic
achievement and retention of students in Biology. Based
on the foregoing, the researcher considered it necessary to examine the effect
of inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning instructional strategies on
secondary school Biology students’ academic achievement and retention in Abia
state and also explore the interaction of gender and these strategies on the
effects of gender on the achievement and retention of students in Biology. This
will be done using inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning
instructional strategies.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Biology
is the study of living and non-living things, it is a pre-requisite to the
study of many courses relevant to humanity which include the following;
Medicine, Pharmacy, Biochemistry, Agriculture, Anatomy, Physiology, Botany,
Zoology, Microbiology, Cell Biology, among others. Despite the importance of
Biology and the recommendation for use of inquiry-based learning and
cooperative learning method for teaching and learning science including Biology
by the Federal Ministry of Education’s 6-3-3-4 curriculum reform, and
suggestions by many Science Educators, reports from educators and researchers
indicated that students ‘achievement in Biology is still poor.
The poor achievement of students in Biology
has been associated with the use of poor methods of teaching, lack of retention
and sometimes influence of gender (Idoko & Anidu, 2012). In view of these,
researchers in science education have continually sought for better teaching
methods that will enhance students ‘achievement, promote their retention and
bridge the gender gap in male and female students ‘achievement and retention in
Biology. Some researchers have also suggested using different forms of inquiry-based
learning (project, demonstration, experiment and so on) and cooperative
learning such as Jigsaw, in teaching. Based on the foregoing, the problem of
this study was therefore presented as a question: what is the effect of inquiry-based
learning and cooperative learning instructional strategies on secondary school
Biology students’ academic achievement and retention in Abia state?
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study was to examine the effect of inquiry-based learning and
cooperative learning instructional strategies on secondary school Biology
students’ academic achievement and retention in Abia state. Specifically, the
study sought to determine:
i.
the
mean achievement scores of students taught biology using inquiry-based learning,
cooperative learning instructional strategy and lecture method.
ii.
the
mean retention scores of students taught Biology using inquiry-based learning,
cooperative learning instructional strategy and lecture method.
iii.
the
mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Biology using
inquiry-based learning.
iv.
the
mean achievement scores of male and female students taught using cooperative
learning instructional strategy.
v. the mean retention score of male and female
students taught with inquiry-based learning.
vi.
the
mean retention score of male and female students taught with cooperative
learning instructional strategy.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions guided the study:
i.
What are the mean achievement scores of
students taught Biology using inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning
instructional strategy and lecture method?
ii.
What are the mean retention scores of
students taught Biology using inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning
instructional strategy and lecture method?
iii.
What are the mean achievement score of
male and female students taught Biology using inquiry-based learning?
iv.
What are the mean achievement scores of
male and female students taught with cooperative learning instructional
strategy?
v.
What are the mean retention score of male
and female students taught with inquiry-based learning?
vi.
What are the mean retention score of male
and female students taught with cooperative learning instructional strategy?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The following null hypotheses formulated were tested
at 0.05 level of significance:
Ho1: There is no significant difference in the
mean achievement scores of students exposed to Biology using inquiry-based
learning, cooperative learning instructional strategy and lecture method.
Ho2: There is no significant difference in the
mean retention scores of students taught Biology using inquiry-based learning,
cooperative learning instructional strategy and lecture method.
Ho3: There is no significant difference between
the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Biology using
inquiry-based learning.
Ho4: There is no significant difference between
the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Biology using
cooperative learning instructional strategy.
Ho5: There is no significant difference between
the mean retention scores of male and female students taught with inquiry-based
learning.
Ho6: There is no significant difference between
the mean retention scores of male and female students taught with cooperative
learning instructional strategy.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This
study is expected to be beneficial to the following stakeholders: students,
teachers, teacher educators, School supervisor, government and policy makers,
Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (STAN), and curriculum planners.
Students
are the major focus in this study as the findings of this study will enable
students to improve in their academic achievement and retention in
Biology. Thus, the findings from this
study may expose the students to better instructional strategy which the
teacher should use in teaching Biology so as to improve the students'
achievement and retention in Biology. To this effect, the problem of poor
result in the WAEC/NECO Senior School Certificate Exams in Biology might come
to an end.
Teachers
and teacher educators, may benefit from this study because the findings will
reveal the two instructional strategies they can use so as to make teaching
more meaningful to the students. This study will therefore clear any form of
doubt that may be in the mind of the teachers about what strategies to use and
how to employ them. It will equip teachers with better effective
ideas/strategies of teaching the students. This among other things would save
them from the monotony of the non-effective traditional lecture method. More
so, the desire to achieve better result with the new instructional strategy
will be very high among the teachers. As students pass out with good results in
Biology in their Senior School Certificate Exams, the credit goes to the
teachers and they will definitely derive joy and satisfaction for the job well
done and thus put in more efforts. This may also earn the teacher’s favorable
assessment by their employers.
Similarly,
the findings may enable the supervisors of the schools to be aware of the
teaching skills or strategies they should be looking for during their
supervision in schools. They should also encourage teachers who are not using
the new strategies in teaching Biology to use them. In the same vein, the
findings may also enable the school supervisors to be aware of the particular
teaching strategy they should direct the Biology teachers to use for improved
teaching and learning as well as for increased retention in Biology.
In
addition, the findings of this study may help government and policy makers to
make policies that will bring positive change in the school systems, by
providing equipped laboratories for students and teachers to use for effective
learning outcome.
The
findings of this study may equally be impactful to professional bodies such as
the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and the Mathematical
Association of Nigeria (MAN) who have interest in science education in Nigeria
can organize workshops and seminars for science and mathematics teachers based
on the results of this study. Such workshops or seminars would be aimed at
re-training the serving teachers and also in equipping them with the knowledge
and skills of applying the preferred instructional strategy.
Finally,
the finding of the study is expected to provide literature that will guide
future researchers on the area. More so, it will guide other researchers to
adopt different approaches in experimenting inquiry-role and cooperative
instructional strategies.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study was delimited to the effects of inquiry-based learning and cooperative
learning instructional strategy on students’ academic achievement and retention
in Biology. Project and Jig-saw forms of inquiry-based learning and cooperative
instructional strategies respectively were used in teaching the students
Biology in the Experimental groups. The choice of Project inquiry is to build
initiative and self-direction while promoting deeper understandings of
contents. Jig-saw form of cooperative learning is chosen to enhance expertise
and meaningful contributions of learners.
The
content coverage for the study is Nutrition in animals/food test which are
among the topics identified in the WAEC Chief Examiners’ Report in which the
students answered the questions from them poorly. The sub-topics to be taught
are food substances, modes of nutrition, feeding mechanism, mammalian teeth and
enzymes.
The
study used public co-educational secondary schools in Abia state. The choice of
coeducational secondary schools was to determine the gender differences, if
any, in students’ achievement and retention when taught with inquiry-based
learning and cooperative learning instructional strategy. The study was
restricted to senior secondary school (SSI) Biology students. The choice of SS1
was made because Nutrition in animals is in their scheme. More so, they are not
examination class and any paradigm shift should begin from SS1.
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