Effects of Two Instructional Scaffolding Strategies on Secondary School Students’ Achievement and Interest in Biology

 – Effects of Two Instructional Scaffolding Strategies on Secondary School Students’ Achievement and Interest in Biology – 

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ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effect of two Instructional Scaffolding Strategies on Secondary School Students’ Achievement and Interest in Biology in Udi Education Zone, Enugu State.

The study adopted a factorial research design which helped the researcher to determine the main effects of two treatments in one single experiment. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study.

A sample of 140 students from four intact classes purposively selected from government co-educational secondary schools in Udi Education Zone, were used for the study.

The main instruments for the study consisted of Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and Biology Interest Inventory (BII) which were developed, validated and used for data collection.

The instruments (BAT and BII) were trial-tested on 30 SS 2 students of Nsukka education Zone. The data collected from BAT and BII were tested for reliability using Kuder-Richardson (K-R 20) and Cronbach Alpha statistics.

Reliability indices of 0.89 and 0.86 respectively were obtained which guaranteed the use of the instruments for the study.

Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPROVAL PAGE             ii

CERTIFICATION PAGE             iii

DEDICATION                      iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS             v

TABLE OF CONTENTS        vii

LIST OF TABLES          xi

LIST OF FIGURES          xiii

ABSTRACT                   xiv

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION                    1

Background of Study                         1

Statement of Problem                             17

Purpose of Study                        17

Significance of Study                     18

Scope of Study                      21

Research Questions                 21

Hypotheses                    22

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW              23

Conceptual Framework             24

Overview of Approaches for Teaching Biology              25

Instructional Scaffolding                      29

Concept Mapping as Scaffolding Strategy             32

Cueing Questions as Scaffolding Strategy        36

Achievement in Biology           42

Interest in Biology            44

Gender in Science                   47

Theoretical Framework                    50

Brunner’s Cognitive View of Discovery Learning (Brunner, 1966)        51

Ausubel’s Assimilation Theory (Ausubel, 1968)       52

Constructivist Theory (Vygotsky, 1978)         53

Review of Empirical Studies                  54

Studies on Concept Mapping as Instructional Scaffolding and Students’ Achievement              54

Studies on Scaffolding and Students Achievement        63

Studies on Cueing Questions as Instructional Scaffolding and Students’ Achievement          67

Studies on Gender as a Factor in Science Achievement          72

Studies on Interest in Science                   81

Summary of Literature Review                 86

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD            89

Design of Study       89

Area of Study              90

Population of Study           90

Sample and Sampling Techniques               91

Instrument for Data Collection             92

Validation of the Instrument            93

Reliability of the Instrument              94

Experimental Procedure             96

Training of Teachers            96

Control of Extraneous Variables            97

Method of Data Collection                     97

Method of Data Analysis                 98

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS                   99

Summary of Findings       113

CHAPTER FIVE                    114

Discussion of Findings, Conclusion, Implications, Recommendations and Summary       114

Discussion of Findings              114

Conclusions              121

Educational Implications of Study             122

Recommendations      123

Limitations of Study         124

Suggestions for Further Research      124

Summary of Study                125

REFERENCES                  129

APPENDICES         147

INTRODUCTION

Biology is a branch of natural science that deals with the study of living organisms, their structures, functions, evolution, distribution and interrelationships.

Biology occupies a unique position in the secondary school education curriculum because of its importance as science of life.

In Nigeria, the secondary school Biology curriculum is designed to continue students’ investigation into natural phenomena, deepen students’ understanding and interest in biological sciences and to encourage students’ ability to apply scientific knowledge to everyday life.

Biology is one of the science subjects taught at the senior secondary school levels in all Nigerian secondary schools today which attracts the greatest patronage of both science-oriented and arts-based students.

(Nwachukwu and Nwosu, 2007), Nwagbo (2008) pointed out that the structure of the Nigerian secondary school requires a student to do one science subject, and Biology is the science subject most of the science students opt for on the false premise that it is the easiest of the sciences.

For this reason, Biology has a very high enrolment of students in the external examination (West African Examination  Council, 2011).

Biology as a school subject is expected to help students understand and deal with their natural environment and the organisms living within it.

Biology also deals with the interactions between living and non-living components of the environment (Nwagbo, 2008).

Sound knowledge of Biology is a pre-requisite for entrance into such professions like Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Biochemistry, Genetics, and Agriculture that are of great economic importance to the nation.

REFERENCES

Abel. W. M & Freeze, M. (2006). Evaluation of concept mapping in an associate degree nursing program. Journal of Nursing Education, 45(9), 356-365.

Adesoji, F.A. (2008). Managing students attitude towards science through problem-solving instructional strategy. E.Mail: Francisadesojiayahoo.com.

Adesola, O.O & Salako, E.T. (2013). Effect of concept mapping instructional strategy on Junior Secondary School Student’s Knowledge of Multiculturalism in the Global 21st Century Social Studies Classroom. Journal of Education and Practice 4 (13), 123- 131.

Agama, T.L (2009). The ffect of the game method teaching on student’s academic Achievement in Chemistry, Journal of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria. 44(1&2), 212-217.

Agbai, O. F. (2004). Differential performance of newly introduced topics in senior secondary school mathematics for teacher education. Journal of sassociation of teacher Educators in Nigeria. 2 (2), 117-112

Agommoh, P. C. & Nzewi, U. M. (2003) Effects of Video – taped instruction on secondary school students’ Achievement in physics, Journal of the science Teachers Association of Nigeria J. S. AN 38 (132) 88 – 93.

StudentsandScholarship Team.

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