ABSTRACT: The study investigated teaching methods and academic achievement of students in Biology in secondary schools. Three research questions and three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research design used for the study was a quasi-experimental research design. The population for the study consisted of one thousand two hundred and three (1203) SS2 Biology students. Three hundred (300) SS2 students was the sample size selected using simple random sampling technique. Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was the instrument for data collection. The data collected was analyzed using independent t-test. The findings revealed that there is a significant difference in the academic achievement of Biology students who are taught with demonstration method and those who are taught using lecture method; there is a significant difference in the academic achievement of students in Biology who are taught using discussion method and those taught with lecture method; also that there is a significant difference in the academic achievement of students in Biology who are taught using demonstration method and those taught with discussion method.
Teaching Methods And Academic Achievement Of Students In Biology
Based on the findings, it was recommended that, ministry of education should encourage Biology teachers to make use of demonstration method during the teaching of Biology; and in-service training should be organized for teacher on the use of teaching methods.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring about foundational changes in the learner (Mille and Dearden, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that will help in the realization of stated behavioural objectives.
Hitherto, many teachers widely applied teacher centred method of teaching to import knowledge to the students rather than the students’ centred method used in our contemporary educational system. Questions about the effectiveness of teaching methods on student’s academic achievement have consistently raised considerable interest in the field of educational research. As a result, researchers have been constantly engaged in examining the extent to which different teaching methods enhance the academic achievement of students.
Teaching according to Ayeni (2011), is a process that involves bringing about desirable changes in the life of the learners by helping them to learn effectively. Therefore, for teaching to be effective, there are methods in which the teacher needs to apply without which the teaching will not be effective. Teaching method according to Adumola (2011) refers to the processes and techniques a teacher uses to transmit knowledge, skills and information etc to the students. It is therefore important that teachers should be conversant with various teaching methods so as to be able to apply these methods effectively in any subject he or she teaches in order to enhance the academic achievement of his or her students.
Overtime, research on the academic achievement of students has been of interest to teachers and educational administrators and as a result, many scholars in the field of education have carried out researches on different areas which can influence the academic achievement of students. Some of the evidences have shown that one of the challenges confronting the academic achievement of students in secondary schools is the method which teachers adopt in imparting knowledge to the students.
However, it has been observed by Adewale (2007), that various teaching methods exist but a teacher should be careful in selecting a particular method that will be effective and appropriate in the teaching of a particular subject or topic. Besides this, it has also been noted that academic achievement can be affected by the following; schools location, teachers’ experiences and teachers’ qualification, availability and utilization of instructional materials as well as class size etc.
1.2 Statement of the problem
One of the fundamental problems facing the Nigerian educational system is the problem of poor academic achievement among students in science subjects. Despite the huge investment made by government, teachers and parents in the education sector, academic achievement of students especially in science subjects tends to be poor.
However, a lot of factors have been pointed at as being the cause of this poor academic achievement among students especially in science related subjects, this include school location, teachers experience and teachers qualification, availability and utilization of instructional materials as well as class size etc. It is therefore on this note that the researcher intends to investigate how teaching methods influences the academic achievement of students in Biology in Secondary Schools.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of teaching methods on the academic achievement of students in Biology in Secondary Schools in the area of study. This study is guided by the following objectives:
- To determine the academic achievement of students in Biology taught using demonstration method ;
- To determine the academic achievement of students in Biology taught using lecture method;
- To determine the academic achievement of students in Biology taught using discussion method.
Teaching Methods And Academic Achievement Of Students In Biology
1.4 Significance of the study
This study will be significant in a number of ways, for example:
- The findings of this study will help teachers to select methods that will make the teaching and learning of Biology more effective;
- It will also help educational administrators to send their Biology teachers on in-service training on teaching methods;
- This study will also help the government (Ministry of Education) by informing the government of the appropriate teaching method a teacher can use in the process of teaching, thereby enabling the government to formulate policies to regulate the use of teaching method;
- This study will also be of great benefit to the learners because it will create an awareness in the teachers on the need to adopt a learner-centred method of teaching;
- Finally, the findings of the study will also serve as a basis for further research.
