ABSTRACT
The study examined the effects of guided Demonstration method on academic performance of biology students in selected senior secondary schools in Lagos state. The study used a quasi-experimental research design. A sample of 120 senior secondary 11 (SS2) biology students were selected by random sampling from 2 private and 2 public schools which comprised both boys and girls with 30 students each in experimental and control groups respectively. The research instruments comprised of biology Achievement Test (CAT). The CAT contained 30 multiple choice questions with four options (A-D) and 5 essay questions. The students were divided into two groups; Experimental and control groups which were subjected to demonstration method and traditional methods of teaching respectively. The t-test statistics was used to analyze the data. Major findings revealed that Biology students taught using inquiry teaching method performed significantly better than their counterparts taught using traditional teaching method. Hence the study concluded that the inquiry teaching method produced students with significantly higher academic performance in Biology. The study therefore recommend among others that the use of Inquiry teaching method should be encouraged in all Secondary Schools that offer Biology to its students in Lagos State and other states in Nigeria, also Government should sponsor teachers to attend various workshops and seminars on appropriate and effective use of the inquiry teaching method.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
It has been observed that the educational system in Nigeria has been experiencing some setback due to our political instability which is one of the major problems faced by the sector. It can be said that little attention has been given to this sector as a result of the nonchalant attitude of our political leaders. Education, the underlining factor of the social life that help people create meaning out of the environment as well as been able to influence the environment to their own benefit.
Man is greatly dependent on science and technology, this is because the future hope for a better scientifically and technologically developed countries which lies in science education. A sound knowledge of science education is very important for the management of our natural resources, provision of adequate food and healthy environment. For instance, Biological sciences is essential to all forms of life including plants and animals and other living and non-living components. It also plays important role towards achieving self–reliance in the life of individual (Dutta, 1996; Umeh, 1999).
Every develop nation is as a result of science and technology been embraced in their school curriculum. In the teaching of science subjects certain methods is being recommended as the appropriate method to be used. These methods stipulated in the science curriculum is to enable the effective teaching and learning of science subjects. Some of the cardinal objectives of the biology curriculum for senior secondary school syllabus are to prepare pupils to acquire meaningful and relevant knowledge in biology, also to acquire reasonable and functional scientific attitudes. In accordance with the objectives, the contents and contexts of the syllabus also place emphasis on guided-discovery, techniques and skills coupled with conceptual thinking.
Most teachers use methods apart from the methods stipulated in the curriculum by the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and it has contributed to the low performance of student in biology. The repeated records of failures in biology tend to pose some attitude in students towards the teaching of biology by the teacher in the explanation of biological concept.
The attitudes of the teachers toward the teaching of biology as a science subject has failed to achieve the stated objectives of biology as stated in the curriculum.
1.1 Background Of The Study
From the perspective of promoting standard based science education, the teaching method employed plays important role in learning important ideas and skills if standard based education is to become a reality in the nation classroom (Tyson, 1997).
Methods are the tools of the teacher for reaching the set goals and objectives. The effective teacher has multiplicity of methods at his disposal and must be prepared to select the ones which will be most effective for leading the learner to desired behaviour. Educational methods is a process of cognitive, affective and psychomotive development whose aim is to mould the learner towards a total contribution to the development of the learner and the community (Durosaro, 2002). In achieving this by the teacher, there is the need to improve on the instructional methods in teaching biology.
Therefore, this study is set out to investigate if appropriate teaching method used in teaching biology could yield a better performance. Such teaching methods are demonstration methods and guided-discovery.
Demonstration method is always accomplished by telling or explaining a concept by the handling or manipulating of real things, equipment or materials or showing pictures. Demonstrations are useful because they provide concrete reference for objects or events. Students relate terms and concepts to those events which they have observed. If this method is used to carryout a study on students’ performance in biology, it will be observed that student will be able to identify some difficulties they faced in learning biology when they were given problem to solve. Demonstration method is an effective means of supplementing and clarifying the content being taught.
Guided-Discovery method likewise is an instructional strategy in which the learner tends to learn more or have better understanding of biological concepts because they are guided to discover things by themselves. Discovery learning, when encouraged in the science class also aids problem solving because learning by discovery starts with problem solving (Akanbi and Opasina 2000). Discovery also causes creativity in the student which is one of the major objective of science teaching.
These two methods have a positive effect on the students’ level of academic performance but certain factors have been attributed to the poor achievement or performance of students in biology. These include the level of the teacher’s knowledge in biology, in the principles and methods of teaching, inability of the teacher to understand his/her student during teaching process or inadequate infrastructure/ teaching aids.
There is tendency that each of these two methods will create an effect on the academic performance of student in biology. This project work tends to identify the effect created on the academic performance of students in biology using demonstration method and guided-discovery method.
1.3 Statement Of Problem
Since teachers lack adoption of educational methods in teaching biology, poor performance of students in biology will be inevitable, if a teacher does not have content pedagogical knowledge of biology, it tends to contribute to the poor academic performances of students in biology. Also inadequate infrastructure or teaching aid may lead to ineffective teaching and learning. The question is that, does the method used in teaching of biology affect student’s performance? This is a problem which this study intend to solve.
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to:
- determine the effects of guided demonstration method and traditional method on the performance of biology students in senior secondary schools in Lagos state;
- determine the effects of guided demonstration method on the performance of students in biology in Lagos state;
- determine the effects of guided demonstration method on the performance of male and female students in biology in Lagos state; and
- determine the difference in the performance between private and public students in biology taught with guided inquiry teaching method in Lagos state.
