DETERMINATION OF THE COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION AND PUZZLE BASED INSTRUCTION IN BIOLOGY ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ETINAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE
ABSTRACT
This study was aimed at determining the comparative effects of computer assisted instruction and puzzle-based instruction in biology on students academic achievement in Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Three research questions were posed and three hypotheses proposed and tested in the study at 0.05 alpha level of significance.Various literatures relevant to the study were reviewed. The sample size used for the study was 100 SS1 biology students from two public secondary schools. Stratified random sampling was used in selecting the schools from two strata, Etinan institute, and community secondary school Asuna. The instrument used for data collection was Biology Achievement Test (BAT). The instrument was administered to 50 students in each group. Data obtained from the study were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test statistical analysis.Findings showed that there was significance difference between students taught biology using puzzle-based instruction and those taught using computer assisted instruction. The findings also showed that there was no significance difference between male and female students taught biology using puzzle-based instruction and those taught using computer assisted instruction. Both gender perform equally in each group.The quality of education depends on teachers, as reflected in the performance of their duties. The teachers also play a crucial role in education attainment because the teachers are ultimately responsible for translating policy into action. Poor academic performance of learners can be linked to poor teacher’s performance in terms of accomplishing the teaching task, negative attitudes to work and poor teaching method/technique which have attributed to poor motivation. It is observed that students fail at biology because they lack the skills to respond to test items (WAEC, 2008). These skills can only be imparted through the use of computer assisted instruction and puzzle based instruction.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, limitation of the study and definition of terms.
1.1 Background of the Study
Like many subjects offered at schools, biology is found to be significant in a number of ways to the lives of learners, Shoop, (2010).
There is a great challenge in the way biology and other sciences are taught in schools. The continuous poor performance in sciences generally and biology in particular is a constant source of worry and concern to parents, educators as well as government of the day. If the teaching of biology is to make its maximum contribution to the education and the well being of the society there are certain teaching techniques that ought to be employed fully in order to facilitate the learning of biology. These technique include the use of computer assisted instruction and puzzle based instruction.
In Nigeria, the realization of the need for a more meaningful and relevant education for development and self reliance is evident in the formulation of the national policy on education as well as production of innovative curricula materials for school (Peter, 2005). The science curricula, specifically biology curriculum for the senior secondary schools were one of such curricula, according to Horby (2002), science is the knowledge about the structure and behaviour of natural and physical world based on facts that can be proved. Science has been and would continue to be of tremendous importance because of its ability to explain many natural occurrences and the central role it plays in the world’s current technology development (Olayiwola, 2014). The quality of education depends on teachers, as reflected in the performance of their duties. The teachers also play a crucial role in education attainment because the teachers are ultimately responsible for translating policy into action. Poor academic performance of learners can be linked to poor teacher’s performance in terms of accomplishing the teaching task, negative attitudes to work and poor teaching method/technique which have attributed to poor motivation. Akiri and Nkechi, (2009).
Unlike chemistry and physics, biology is more descriptive in nature (Mohudiu, 2008). Biology textbooks are often found to consist of long and complex sentences that are Laden with facts. Such structural complexities impose considerable cognitive demands on learners. Also, many technical terms in biology which are derived from Latin and Greek words are alien to learners.
Mohudiu (2008) indicates that, learners in private schools perform much better in biology as compared with learners in public schools. This may be because learners in private schools had a better command of English when they were at primary level and had better skill in secondary level.
The growing incidence of failure on biology rating performance in both senior school certificate examination (WAEC 2004-2008) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB 2004-2008) were occasioned by poor state of resources for teaching and learning biology and the environment under which biology takes place. Another reason for the poor performance according to (Locke and McDermid, 2005, Ruiyong, 2004) is due to the abstraction and processes involved in some topics that are not physically observable. Thus, to acquire any successful teaching and learning process, it is necessary that every teacher should decide on the appropriate instructional strategies in collaboration with good instructional materials (Kichin, 2003).
In the rapidly integrating world, knowledge and skills are becoming increasingly important as the source of competiveness and productivity. As such, country with low and outdated knowledge and skills are more and more likely to be excluded from gainful opportunities created by globalization (Khan, 2006). Hence, the applied and implicit knowledge should be the ultimate goal of education system (Khurshid and Ajaja, 2012).
The knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics which have crystallized into concepts, empirical laws and theories from the basis of scientific and technological breakthrough in contemporary society (Oghenevewede, 2009). As we entered 21st century and expect better health for all, abundant food for all, better knowledge to man, animals, plants and less polluted environment and with the declaration of Education For All (EFA). There is need to effectively teach and learn biology to meet the challenges (Ajaja, 2002). Teaching is effective when methods/techniques used to bring about desirable changes in the behaviour of the learners. If learning strategies and students achievement have to improve, then the students have to be introduced to a more efficient and appropriate teaching approaches such as the use of computer assisted instruction and puzzle based instruction. A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person’s ingenuity or knowledge. In puzzle, one is required to put pieces together in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct solution of the puzzle. A computer instruction in computer science is a segment of code that contains steps that need to be executed by the computer processor. Given the changes in the digital world over the last decades, students of the current generation expect technology to be used in advancing their learning requiring methodologies to an active multisensory experimental learning methodology.
Hence, there is greater need to improve the quality of approaches/techniques in sciences especially biology. This can only be achieved by bringing fundamental changes, through innovative and effective approaches/techniques such as the use of computer assisted instruction and puzzle based instruction in the teaching of biology.
It is in line with this background that this study attempts to examine the rationale for using computer assisted instruction and puzzle-based instruction to teaching excretion and investigate senior secondary school students achievement in biology in Etinan Local Government Area.
DETERMINATION OF THE COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION AND PUZZLE BASED INSTRUCTION IN BIOLOGY ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ETINAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE