THE EFFECT OF BIOLOGY PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES ON ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENUGU EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AREA.
ABSTRACT
This project work was carried
out to determine the effect of biology practical activities on academic
achievement of senior secondary school students in Enugu
East Local Government Area of EnuguState. Chapter one and
two is the background of the study and the review of related literature
respectively. The background of the study emphasized the use of practical
activities in biology as stimulates learner’s interest in the science subject
they are studying. In the review of literature, the need for the teaching and
learning of biology in secondary schools were discussed.. The factors which
affect the achievement of secondary school biology students were also reviewed
which include: inadequate laboratory facilities, teacher factors, student
factors and environmental factors. In chapter three, the area of the study,
population for study, data collection and analysis were presented. The study
was carried out in Enugu East Local Government
Area of EnuguState;
the target population includes all the ss1 students in all the ten (10) schools
in Enugu East Local Government Area of EnuguState.
The students were given tests and the test was marked and they were scored
according to their performances, the score from the pre-test and post- test
were used to find the mean and standard deviation. Chapter four dealt with the
presentation and analysis of data to four senior secondary schools in Enugu East Local
Government Area. And the analysis showed that the mean scores of the females
are higher than that of male students in both pre-test and post- test. The
discussion of the results, educational implications, recommendation, and
conclusion were also treated in chapter five.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE- – – – – – – – – i
TITLE PAGE- – – – – – – – – – ii
CERTIFICATION- – – – – – – – – iii
APPROVED PAGE- – – – – – – – – iv
DEDICATION- – – – – – – – – – v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT- – – – – – – – vi
ABSTRACT- – – – – – – – – – vii
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction- – – – – – – – – – 1
Background of the study- – – – – – – – 1
Statement of problem- – – – – – – – 9
Purpose of the study- – – – – – – – – 10
Significant- – – – – – – – – – 11
Research questions- – – – – – – – – 12
Research hypothesis- – – – – – – – – 13
Scope of study- – – – – – – – – – 13
CHAPTER TWO
Literature review – – – – – – – – – 14
The need for teaching and
learning of biology in secondary schools-14
Effect of biology
practical activities on students in secondary school-17
Factors that affect the
academic achievement of secondary school biology students- – – – – – – – – 18
Summary scope of the
study- – – – – – – 24
CHAPTER THREE
Research method- – – – – – – – – 26
Research design- – – – – – – – – 26
Area of study- – – – – – – – – – 27
Population of the study- – – – – – – – 27
Sample and sampling
techniques- – – – – – 27
Research instrument- – – – – – – – – 28
Method of data collection- – – – – – – – 29
Validation of the
instrument- – – – – – – 29
Method of data analysis- – – – – – – – 29
CHAPTER FOUR
Data presentation and
analysis- – – – – – – 30
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion of findings- – – – – – – – 38
Educational implication- – – – – – – – 41
Recommendation- – – – – – – – – 41
Suggestion for further
study- – – – – – – 43
Summary of the finding- – – – – – – – 43
REFERENCES- – – – – – – – – – 44
APPENDICES- – – – – – – – – – 48
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
INTRODUCTIION
The words “science” is often misconstrued by many people.
While some view it as a white man’s “juju”, others construe it as a kind of
magic, like the tero blind men who went to see the elephant, many people who
attempt to define science make valid but fragmentary definition of it. Little
do people realize that many of man’s daily activities involve doing science?
For example, when you wake up in the morning and take a glass of water and not
kerosene you are doing science. When your mother strikes a stick of match,
light a candle and watches it melts, she is doing science. When the baker adds
yeast to floor to make it rise, he too is doing science. The barber in your
village also does science when he applies soap solution to his customer’s hair
to make it soft, for he is applying the knowledge of science. Thus, science is
not magical as some people think. Science is all around us. Ofuebe (2007),
defined science as a dynamic human activity concerned with understanding of the
working of our world. Ali (2002) believes that the word science stands for a
variety of information, abilities and operations about the natural environment.
He believes that science is more concerned with various investigative processes
and activities with regards to developing acquiring and controlling knowledge,
skills, and capabilities attitudes about the natural factors of the
environment. From these processes reliable and verifiable information are
accumulated for use in science and other disciplines. According to Aniodoh
(1991) viewed science as “a body of knowledge arrived at through systematic and
procedural processes based on tentative observations and experiment”. In the
sight of the above, science may be viewed as a way of thinking in the pursuit
of understanding nature, a way of investigating and a body of established
knowledge. Thus, science is a product as a well as a process. Ambuno,
Egunifomi, Osakwe (2008) noted that, with science, the world today wouldn’t
have been what it is. Technological advancement has completely changed the
world. This has permeated into all spheres of our lives which include
communications, health, agriculture, building etc. Exploration of the universe
and improvement in conditions of living in our homes, schools, roads etc are
all based on science in terms of modern equipment and materials. In fact, with
the world changing very fast as a result of human activities and population growth,
what may save our planet earth is scientific inquiring for solutions to
prevailing problems and those we may face in the future. Some biological
research has been carried out by scientists leading to many discoveries in
medicine, technology, agriculture and genetics.
For further information on the positive impacts of science,
Aniodoh (2001) supported the above view which he said that through science and
the help of technological know-how, man is able to construct shelter of various
kind as dwelling, markets, schools, hospitals etc.
Biology as one of the science subject is defined as the
study of life and structure of living things. Biology is the study of living
things and concerns itself with the study of the structure, behaviour,
distribution, the origin of plants and animals and their relationship with
their environments. Abugu (2007) stated that biology is a natural science in
which we study living organisms – plants and animals. Furthermore Iloeje (1981)
viewed Biology as the science in which we study living things. Based on the
above statement, man lives in a novel world, there are animals, plants, rivers,
oceans, deserts, mountains, and so on, all round him. Being a curious being,
man takes delight in exploring his world, the seeks to have a world view of the
universe, the strives to investigate all matter around him – their origin,
nature, characteristics and other features, the inquires in his inquiry, he
asks a lot of questions and in his search for answers to such questions, he
needs to be systematic and unbiased. To achieve his goal, he engages in
experimentation and observation, which are fundamental to science. Like other
science subjects, biology in secondary schools is composed of practical
activities. In all the sciences, biology geared towards simplifying the
theoretical content, so as to enhance effective instruction and learning of the
subject. Allan, Rob and Jonathan (2000), stated the reason for emphasizing
practical activities in biology like a realization of practical; work to be predecessor
to real science knowledge. Practical work stimulates learner interest in the
science subject they are studying, when they are made to personally engage in
useful activities; knowledge obtained through practical; work and experience,
promote long term memory that theory alone cannot do, from this reason, it
becomes obvious that a learner acquired more in any science lesson, if giving
the opportunity to do activities, ranging from manipulating apparatus,
classifying, designing, experimenting, hypothesizing to maker inferences and
verifying results. Hence, there is an urgent and serious need to justify the
exposition of the students biology practical activates as well as studying its
effect on student’s achievement in biology. Unfortunately, the ugly situation
observed in the majority of our secondary school and students in lack of
exposure of the students to practical activities. This contributes to
persistent poor performances in biology.
Eze (1995)
stated that biology as one of the science subjects in all field of studies
develops human thinking faculty to accurate observation, he also stated that
practical are very necessary in teaching of biology but some teachers
deliberately refuse the use of practical in teaching. Their reason is that the
use of laboratory materials waste a lot of time. Biology education programme
should be built on the skills, knowledge and experiences, developed by the
students, through participation in practical; Biology practical work assist
students in utilizing their knowledge and skills acquired in real field outside
the classroom. Opul, Ezeh and Ezemagu (2008) reported that much stress has been
placed upon practical work for there is no substitute for it, for practical
experiment must be the basis of knowledge in biology. Hence, it become
imperative at this point to find out the level of academic achievement in
biology practical activities, taught to biology students in Enugu, East
Government Area Eya, Eze and Ani (2003), and cry about the falling standard of
the science education in Nigeria over the years, Researchers have pointed
accusing fingers to several factors as being responsible and prominent among
these factors is the teacher factor. The neglect of the practical aspect of
biology in schools has been blamed on such factors as the inability of the
school authorities to provide materials and equipment for practical work,
teachers’ failure to recognize the importance of practical work in science
teaching. Aniodoh (2001) in his study noted that a sound theoretical and practical
knowledge of biology is needed for the management of our natural resources,
provision of good health facilities, adequate food supply and favourable life
environment. Thus, the teaching and learning of biology has to be encouraged in
the school.
In the light of the above, it should
be a general concern of every Nigerian including the researchers to view this
backwardness with some seriousness. There is great need to look into the issue
of teaching and learning of the core science subjects – biology etc. Biologists
usually study all forms of life including ourselves, other animals, plants and
microscopic living things such as bacteria which is too small to see with our
naked eyes. Biology is needed in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, food technology etc.
Aniodoh (2001) observed that effective
teaching and learning require accurate and exact observations, carefulness and
thoroughness of technique and logical interpretation of data. He emphasized
that practical work is the part of the study of biology and should go hand in
hand with theory. The National Policy on Education (1981) stipulates that
biology should be taught at the secondary school level. And in pursuance of the
goals of the policy, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in their
syllabus (1998 – 2003) came up with the following aims and objectives in the
teaching of biology in secondary schools:
v To understand the
structure and functions of living organisms as well as to appreciate nature
v To acquire adequate
laboratory and field skills in order to carry out and evaluate experiments and
projects in biology
v To acquire necessary
scientific skills, for example, observations, classification and interpretation
of biology data
v To impart relevant
knowledge in biology needed for future advanced studies in biology
v To acquire scientific
attitude for problem solving
v To be able to apply
biological principles in every day in matters that affect personal, social,
environmental, community health and economic problems. It is of great
importance in order to achieve the above objectives that there should be
effective teaching and learning.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Not much attention has been giving to
the performance of the students in senior secondary school subjects most
especially in biology and biology practical aspect of biology in schools has
been blamed on such factors as the inability of the school authorities to
provide materials and equipment for practical work, teachers failure to
recognize the importance of practical work in science teaching.
` According to Anidodoh (2001) in his
study noted that a sound theoretical and practical knowledge of biology is
needed for the management of our natural resources, provision of good health
facilities, adequate food supply and favourable life environment. Thus, the
teaching and learning of biology has to be encouraged in the schools. Moreover,
this neglect, no doubt has relegated these subjects to the background in our
senior secondary certificate examination. A close look at the 2008 – 2010 SSCE
result records confirms that student’s performance has been very poor generally
and particularly in biology practical, failure is a great problem as it
will effect
the students performances in science senior secondary school; that is why the
researchers have decided to look into the cause and effects of biology
practical;. This increasing number of dropouts in the area of the study is a
clear pointer to the theme.
In the light of the above, it should
be a general concern of every Nigerian including the researchers to view this
backwardness with some seriousness. There is great need to look into the issue
of teaching and learning of the science subjects – biology etc. Biologists
usually study are forms of life including ourselves, other animals, plants and
microscopic living things such bacteria which is too small to see with our
naked eyes. Biology is needed in medicine, nursing, pharmacy food technology
etc
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to
find out the effect of biology practical on academic achievement of male and
female senior secondary school biology students in Enugu East Local Government.
Specifically, the study intends to find out
1.
Whether there is any significant difference in the mean
scores of students taught biology using practical methods and theory methods.
2.
Whether there is any significant difference between the mean
scores of male and female students taught biology using practical methods.
3.
Whether there is any significant difference between the mean
scores of urban and rural schools students taught biology using practical
methods.
SIGNFICANT OF THE STUDY
The result obtained from the study
will benefit the following people: Government, Teachers and Students
Government: The study will help to
motivate the Government to equip secondary schools with necessary practical
equipment for the teaching of biology.
Teachers: This will assist classroom
teachers in the organization of practical that would help to develop skills and
knowledge in the students. It will also enable trained teachers to adopt those
teaching and learning methods that would aid them in organization of their
subjects matter for the students.
Students: When students understand
more, the importance of biology practical skills, they are equipped to secure
employment and this would in no small measure make them contribute meaningfully
to the development of the society. Practical method of teaching can also
increases the interest of the students to practical works.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following three research questions
guided the study
1.
Is there any difference in the mean scores of students taught
biology using practical and theory methods?
2.
Is there difference between the mean scores of male and
female students taught biology using the practical methods?
3.
Is there any difference between the mean scores of rural and
urban students taught biology using practical method?
RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
There is no significant difference in the scores of
students taught biology using practical method and those taught using
theoretical method.
SCOPE OF THE
STUDY
The study is limited to secondary schools in Enugu East
Local Government, to meet up with the cost