Effect of Integrating Statistical Concepts on Third Year Student Teachers’ Academic Performance on Heredity in Biology

Abstract

This study examined the effect of integrating Statistical concepts on Third year student teachers’ academic performance on Heredity in Biology. The study adopted purposive sampling where 93 participants were randomly assigned into two groups, i.e. an Experimental class (n = 45) and a Control group (n = 48).Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. Data were collected using a 8-item structured questionnaire which was used to obtain data on students’ attitude towards heredity while an Achievement Test’ (AT), which comprised 4 questions, was used to measure the students’ performance in genetics. The two null hypotheses were tested using the Independent Sample T-test (at α = 0.05) while the third question was analysed using percentages.The findings from the study showed that students taught Heredity by integrating statistical concepts achieved higher scores and significantly better than those taught using conventional methods (df = 91; p = 0.001 < α = 0.05) . There was also no better achievement in favour of the male students compared to their female counter parts when taught by integrating the statistical concepts in the experimental group (df = 43; p = 0.871 > α = 0.05). It further established that students developed positive attitude towards Heredity after integrating statistical concepts in the teaching of Heredity in Biology. The study recommends among other things, that since integrating statistical concepts is found to be an effective strategy and enhanced achievement among Biology students, teachers and lecturers of this subject should accept it as one of the strategies they can use in teaching Heredity in Biology so as to enhance students’ academic performance.