EFFECT OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING APPROACH ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN ENUGU EDUCATION ZONE

Abstract

The search for innovative approaches for the effective teaching and learning of Biology in Secondary Schools necessitated the study on effect of Experiential Learning Approach (ELA) on secondary school students’ academic achievement in Biology in Enugu Education Zone. Two research questions and three null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. A quasi-experimental research design, specifically the pretest posttest non-randomized control group design was used. A total of 3,935 Senior Secondary two (SS2) students constituted the population. Multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to draw a sample size of 136 SS2 students used in the study. The students from two intact classes were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups using a flip of a coin. A Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was used for data collection. The BAT and lesson plans were validated by three experts. The reliability index of the BAT established using Kuder-Richardson 20, yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.91. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed among others that ELA is more effective in enhancing students’ academic achievement in biology than CLM. There was no significant difference in the mean academic achievement in biology by male and female students. Also, there was no interaction effect of teaching methods and gender on students’ academic achievement in biology. The study concluded that ELA is a gender friendly approach that enhances students’ academic achievement in Biology. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that ELA should be adopted by Biology teachers in schools to foster students’ academic achievement in Biology.