CURRICULUM CONTENT, PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, STUDENT-RELATED FACTORS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGY IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Environmental concepts are taught in senior secondary schools Biology to equip students with knowledge to solve societal problems. However, reports have shown that students‟ learning outcomes related to environmental concepts in Biology are low in Ekiti State, Nigeria. These have been largely attributed to teachers‟ poor knowledge of curriculum content, teachers‟ poor pedagogical content knowledge and student-related factors. Previous studies focused largely on intervention programmes through the use of teaching strategies, with little attention paid to curriculum content, pedagogical content knowledge and student-related factors that could influence learning outcomes in environmental concepts (achievement, attitude to and practices). This study, therefore, was carried out to investigate curriculum content, pedagogical content knowledge, student-related factors (motivation, emotional intelligence and cognitive style) and learning outcomes in environmental concepts in Biology in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Heider‟s Attribution, Ausubel‟s Meaningful Reception Learning and Social Constructivist theories provided the framework, while the survey design of correlational type was adopted. Three Local Governments Areas (LGAs) (Ado, Ikere, Ido-Osi) were randomly selected in Ekiti State. From each LGA, five senior secondary schools were randomly selected, making a total of 15 schools. Intact classes were used and a total of 1000 students participated, while 15 Biology teachers were enumerated. The instruments used were Biology Students‟ Environmental Achievement (r=0.83), Students Cognitive Style (r=0.81) tests, Biology Environmental Attitudinal (α=0.88) scale, Biology Students‟ Environmental Practices (α=0.82), Biology Curriculum Content Rating (r=0.87), Teachers‟ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Rating(r=0.88), Students Motivation (α=0.80) and Students Emotional Intelligence (α=0.80) scales. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Pearson‟s product moment correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance. The majority of the teachers were male (88.2%), while the majority of the students were female (65%). Biology curriculum content(r =0.62), students‟ emotional intelligence (r=0.01) and motivation (r=0.11) had significant positive relationships with students‟ achievement, while pedagogical content knowledge and cognitive style were not related to achievement. Motivation (r=0.18), emotional intelligence (r=0.33) and cognitive style (0.25) had significant positive relationships with students‟ attitude, while curriculum content and pedagogical content knowledge were not related to attitude. Motivation (r=0.16), emotional intelligence (r=0.31) and cognitive style (r=0.24) had significant positive relationships with students‟ practices in environmental concepts in Biology. There was a significant joint contribution of the iii independent variables (curriculum content, pedagogical content knowledge, motivation, emotional intelligence and cognitive styles) to the achievement in environmental concepts in Biology (F(3.11)=2.63; Adj. R2 =0.26),accounting for 26% of its variance; but they did not jointly contribute to attitude and practices. Curriculum content (β=0.58; t =2.23) contributed to students‟ achievement in Biology environmental concepts, but did not contribute to attitude and practices. Motivation (β=0.26) and cognitive style (β=0.15) relatively contributed to attitude, but did not relatively contribute to achievement and practices in environmental concepts in Biology. Curriculum content enhanced students‟ achievement in environmental concepts in Biology in senior secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Therefore, there is the need to strengthen Biology teachers‟ pedagogical content knowledge for improved learning outcomes.