PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AND SELF-REGULATORY STRATEGIES AS DETERMINANTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BIOLOGY CONCEPTS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Biology concepts are taught in senior secondary schools to equip students with knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems. However, reports have shown that students’ achievement in biology is poor in Ibadan. This has been attributed to the use of teacher-centred methods of instruction. Previous studies focused largely on predisposing student-related factors with little attention on project-based learning and self-regulatory strategies. This study, therefore, was carried out to determine the effects of Project-based Learning Strategy (PBLS) and Self-regulatory Strategy (SRS) on students’ achievement, attitude and practical skills in biology in Ibadan, Nigeria. It also examined the moderating effects of students’ mental ability and their learning styles (visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinaesthetic).

Constructivist Theory provided the framework, while the pretest-posttest control group quasi experimental design with 3x2x4 factorial matrix was adopted. Three out of the 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) (Akinyele, Ibadan North and Ibadan North East) were randomly selected. From each LGA, two public senior secondary schools were randomly selected, while an intact class of senior secondary II students was selected from each school, totalling 303 students. The schools were assigned to PBLS (106), SRS (100) and control (97) groups. The instruments used were Biology Achievement Test (r=0.81), Biology Attitude Questionnaire (r=0.80), Biology Practical Skills Rating Scale (r=0.81), Student Mental Ability Test (r=0.82), Student Learning Style Questionnaire (r=0.89) and instructional guides. The treatment lasted eight weeks. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance.

Participants’ age was 17.30±2.50 years, and 67.5% were females. The participants’ mental ability ( was high as against the threshold of 2.50. The participants learning style distribution was auditory (30.7%), visual (30.4%), kinaesthetic (25.0%) and read/write (13.9%). Treatment had a significant main effect on students’ achievement in biology (F(2, 278)=16.05, partial η2 = 0.10). Participants exposed to SRS had the highest post mean achievement score (28.75), followed by PBLS (28.44) and control (22.45) groups. Treatment had significant main effect on students’ practical skills in biology (F(2, 278)=7.95, partial η2 = 0.05). Participant in PBLS group had the highest post-practical skills mean score in biology (20.80), followed by SRS (19.80) and control (17.88) groups. Treatment had no significant main effect on students’ attitude to biology. Mental ability and learning style had no significant main effects on students’ achievement, attitude and practical skills. There were no significant two-way and three-way interaction effects.

Project-based learning and self-regulatory strategies enhanced students’ achievement and practical skills in biology in secondary schools in Ibadan, regardless of their mental ability and learning style. Teachers should adopt these strategies to improve students’ achievement, attitude and practical skills in biology.