EFFECTSOF PROBLEM SOLVINGINSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTIONIN ECOLOGY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITHDIFFERENT COGNITIVE PREFERENCESIN ZARIA EDUCATIONAL ZONE
EFFECTSOF PROBLEM SOLVINGINSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTIONIN ECOLOGY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITHDIFFERENT COGNITIVE PREFERENCESIN ZARIA EDUCATIONAL ZONE
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Date
2011-05
Authors
BAWA, MAIRIGA RIBAH
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Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Problem Solving Instructional
Strategy on Academic Achievement and Retention in Ecology among Senior Secondary
School students with different cognitive preferences four Senior Secondary Schools in
Zaria Education Zone, comprising Zaria and Sabon Gari areas of Kaduna State,
constituted the population for the study. A randomly selected sample of two hundred
forty students (240) constituted the subjects for the study. A randomly selected sample of
one hundred and twenty students who constituted the experimental group were taught
using Problem Solving Instructional Strategy, while the remaining 120 students that
constituted the control group were taught using the lecture method Instructional Strategy
(LMIS). Two Secondary Schools served as the experimental group, while the other two
served as the control group respectively. The study adopted the quasi experimental
control group pretest-post-posttest design. Two instruments were used in this study for
data collection, namely, the Cognitive Preference Test (CPT), and Ecology Achievement
Test (EAT) in Ecology. The CPT was adopted from Heath (1964), while the (EAT) was
developed by the researcher. A pretest was administered before the treatment to establish
the equivalence of the experimental and control groups using Problem Solving
Instructional Strategy (PSIS), while the control group was exposed to the Lecture Method
Instructional Strategy (LMIS). The topics covered were basic ecological concepts, major
biomes of the world, population studies and ecological factors. These topics have been
established by researchers as being very difficult to learn in ecology. Seven null
hypotheses were subjected to statistical analyses involving the use of t-test. ANOVA on
Achievement and Retention. ANOVA was used to test for the difference in the level of
significance in the mean scores of the experimental groups of Recall, Application,
Principles and Questioning in favour of the experimental groups in these fields. The
result of the study showed among others that there was significant difference between the
posttest mean scores of the experimental and control group of recall variable in favour of
the experimental group. Significant differences exist between the posttest mean scores of
the experimental and control groups in Application variables in favour of the
experimental group. There was significant difference] between the posttest mean scores
of the experimental and control groups in principles, in favour of the experimental group.
Posttest mean scores of the experimental and control groups in principles variable were
statistically different in favour of the experimental group. Posttest mean scores of the
experimental and control groups in Questioning variable were also statistically different
in favour of the experimental group. The posttest mean scores of the experimental and
control groups were found to be statistically significant in favour of the experimental
group in Retention of the ecology concepts. Seven recommendations were made in the
study, one of which was that the study of ecology results in the accruing of many benefits
to mankind; therefore the study of ecology is viewed to be very important in Secondary
Schools. It was therefore suggested that a wider coverage, patronage and publicity
should be accorded the study of Ecology in the school curriculum syllabus, and all facets
of human endeavour.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FORTHE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHYIN SCIENCE EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OFSCIENCEEDUCATION
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA
Keywords
EFFECTS,, PROBLEM,, SOLVING,, INSTRUCTIONAL,, STRATEGY,, ACADEMIC,, ACHIEVEMENT,, RETENTION,, ECOLOGY,, SECONDARY,, SCHOOL,, STUDENTS,, DIFFERENT,, COGNITIVE,, PREFERENCES,, ZARIA,, EDUCATIONAL,, ZONE.