Abstract
Despite the importance of \biology for sustainable development, students’ performance in the subject has been inconsistent. Several interventions have been used to improve students’ learning of Biology but the inconsistency in performance persists. Thus, this study investigated the use of hands-on learning in enhancing students’ academic achievement. The research adopted a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design with 2x2 factorial. The study also examined the moderating effect of gender on academic achievement. Fifty-eight students offering Biology in the intact classes of two randomly selected schools participated in the study. The data was collected using a 25-item Biology Achievement Test for Students (BATS) subjected to face and content validities, and reliability test. The test-retest reliability method yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.68. The data analyses revealed a significant difference in the effect of strategy on the academic achievement of students in Biology (F (1,53) =8.595), p=0.05, but in favour of the conventional method of teaching. Further findings showed no significant difference in the effect of gender on the academic achievement of students (F (1,53) = 0.980), p>0.05. The researchers noted that hand-on activities are important for Biology learning and recommended that school authorities should allocate adequate time for that purpose.
Highlights
Global competitiveness of a nation in the emerging economy depends on its scientific and technological development
Dykowski, Tooley, Helland and Barremka (2017) affirmed that lack of reinforcement during the later phases of learning could jeopardise learning effectiveness. This finding disagrees with Odewumi et al (2020) which reported that students taught with plastic relief sculpture (PRS), a form of hands-on strategy performed significantly better than those exposed with the conventional method of teaching
The study concluded that hands-on learning strategy is not effective in enhancing students’ academic achievement in senior secondary school Biology
Summary
Global competitiveness of a nation in the emerging economy depends on its scientific and technological development. Knowledge of science is crucial for the survival of humanity in a society powered by technology. Learning of science is being promoted at every tier of education. Biology is an aspect of science in the senior school curriculum in Nigeria listed under Science and Mathematics field of study with other subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Further Mathematics, Health Education, Agriculture, Physical Education and Computer Studies (Federal Republic of Nigeria [FRN], 2014). The implication is that students are at liberty to pick two, three or four from the subjects in this category, based on their potential, interest and capability. Biology is an optional subject in Nigerian secondary school curriculum
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