ABSTRACT

The study compared the effects of models, simulations and charts usage on achievement and retention of senior secondary school students in Biology in Akwa Ibom State. Six research questions were posed and six null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Pretest posttest non-equivalent groups of quasi experimental design was adopted for the study. The research population was 3310 Senior Secondary 2 (SS11) Biology Students comprising of 1664 males and 1646 females in 25 public secondary schools in Ikot Ekpene Education zone of Akwa Ibom State. Two hundred (200) students comprising of 106 males and 94 females, from four intact classes in four schools, drawn through purposive sampling, formed the sample for the study. Biology Achievement Test (BAT) adapted by the researcher served as instrument for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face and content validation by three experts, two in Biology Education and one in Measurement and Evaluation, all in the Department of Science Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. The reliability coefficient of 0.82 was established using Spearman Brown Reliability Analysis. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation and the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results revealed that there is significant difference in the mean achievement and retention scores of Biology students taught using models, simulations, charts and textbook, with the students taught with simulations having the highest mean posttest and retention scores, followed by models and charts while those taught with textbook had the least mean posttest and retention scores. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that teachers should make good efforts in incorporating models, computer simulations and/ or charts in their pedagogical practices to enhance academic achievement of learners. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page                                                                                                                    i

Declaration                                                                                                                  ii

Certification                                                                                                                iii

Dedication                                                                                                                  iv

Acknowledgements                                                                                                    v

Table of Contents                                                                                                       vi

List of Tables                                                                                                              ix

List of figures                                                                                                             xi

Abstract                                                                                                                      xii                                                                                                                                                                                   

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study                                                                               1

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                               10

1.3       Purpose of the Study                                                                                      11

1.4       Research Questions                                                                                         12

1.5       Hypotheses                                                                                                     13

1.6       Significance of the Study                                                                               14

1.7       Scope of the Study                                                                                         15

CHAPTER 2:  REVIEW OF RELATED LITRATURE

2.1       Conceptual Framework                                                                                   16

2.1.1    Concept of Biology                                                                                        16

2.1.2    Instructional resources                                                                                    17

2.1.3    Models                                                                                                            30

2.1.4    Simulations                                                                                                     33

2.1.5    Charts                                                                                                              41

2.1.6    Academic achievement in Biology                                                                 44

2.1.7    Retention                                                                                                        46

2.1.8    Gender and academic achievement in Science                                               46

2.2       Theoretical Framework                                                                                   48

2.2.1    Stimulus-Response learning theory by B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)                 48

2.2.2    Piaget’s theory of intellectual development (Schemas)                                  50

2.3       Empirical Studies                                                                                            51

2.4       Summary of Review of Related Literature                                                    66

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1       Design of the Study                                                                                        68

3.2       Area of the Study                                                                                           69

3.3       Population of the Study                                                                                  70

3.4       Sample and Sampling Technique                                                                    70

3.5       Instrument for Data Collection                                                                       71

3.6       Validation of the Instrument                                                                          71

3.7       Reliability of the Instrument                                                                           72

3.8       Method of Data Collection                                                                             73

3.8.1    Experimental procedure                                                                                  73

3.8.2    Control of extraneous variable                                                                        75

3.9       Method of Data Analyses                                                                               76

CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

4.1       Presentation and Analyses of Data                                                                 77

4.1.1    Research question one                                                                                    77

4.1.2    Hypotheses one                                                                                               78

4.1.3    Research question two                                                                                    80

4.1.4    Hypotheses two                                                                                              82

4.1.5    Research question three                                                                                  84

4.1.6   

1. 

2. 

2.1 

Hypotheses three                                                                                            86

4.1.7    Research question four                                                                                   87

4.1.8    Hypotheses four                                                                                              89

4.1.9    Research question five                                                                                    90

4.1.10 Hypotheses five                                                                                              91

4.1.11  Research question six                                                                                      93

4.1.12  Hypotheses six                                                                                                94

4.2       Major Findings of the Study                                                                          95

4.3       Discussion of Findings                                                                                   97

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1              Summary of the Study                                                                                    105

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                      106

5.3       Recommendations                                                                                          106

5.4       Educational Implications of the Findings                                                       107

5.5       Suggestions for Further Studies                                                                     108

REFERENCES                                                                                                          109

APPENDICES                                                                                                           124

LIST OF TABLES

1.                  Mean achievement scores of SS11Biology students taught mammalian  digestive system using models, simulations, charts and those taught

using textbook.                                                                                                     77                                                                                                                                                                                               

2.         Summary of analysis of covariance of the mean achievement score

            of SS11 Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using

models, simulations, charts and those taught using textbook.                             78                          

3.         Scheffe’s post-hoc pairwise comparison of the mean post- test

            scores of students in the four groups.                                                                  79

4.         Mean retention scores of SS11 Biology students taught mammalian   digestive system using models, simulations, charts and those taught

            using textbook.                                                                                                   80

5.         Summary of analysis of covariance of the mean retention scores of

            SS11 Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using

            models, simulations, charts and those taught using textbook.                             82

6.        Scheffe’s post-hoc pairwise comparison of the mean retention scores

           of students in the four groups.                                                                                         83

7.         Mean achievement scores of male and female SS11 Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using models,

simulations, charts and those taught using textbook.                                          84

8.         Summary of analysis of covariance of the mean achievement

            scores of male and female SS11 Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using models, simulations, charts

            and those taught using textbook.                                                                         86                                    

9.         Mean retention scores of male and female SS11Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using models, simulations, charts and those

            taught using textbook.                                                                                                     87       

10.       Summary of analysis of covariance of the mean retention scores of male

            and female SS11 Biology students taught mammalian digestive system

            using models, simulations, charts and those taught using textbook                    89

11.       Estimated marginal means of male and female students’

            post-test scores by instructional resources.                                                          90

12.       Analysis of covariance test for significant interaction effect of using instructional resources and gender on the mean achievement scores

            of SS11 Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using  

            models, simulations, charts and those taught using textbook.                             92                                                                                               

13.       Estimated marginal means of male and female students’ retention

            scores by instructional resources.                                                                         93              

14.       Analysis of covariance test for significant interaction effect of using instructional resources and gender on the mean retention scores of SS11

            Biology students taught mammalian digestive system using models,

            simulations, charts and those taught using textbook.                                                      94              

LIST OF FIGURES

1.                Graph of estimated marginal means of male and female students’

post-test scores by instructional resources.                                                     91

2.                Graph of estimated marginal means of male and female students’

retention test scores by instructional resources.                                               94