EFFECT OF BIOLOGY PRACTICAL ON THE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY IN ENUGU STATE

EFFECT OF BIOLOGY PRACTICAL ON THE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY IN ENUGU STATE

ABSTRACT

This project work was carried out to determine the effect of biology practicals on the secondary school students academic performance in biology in Enugu State (A case study of Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State). The long held notion is that practicals offer students a more realistic experience in sciences but Hunetta (2008), reported that some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory work. They opined that practical method of teaching is not self-evident as it once seemed. The result obtained from the sample schools, showed that biology practicals has a positive effect on academic performance of students. In all cases that was tested, practical method of teaching biology was found to be superior to traditional theoretical methods. Chapter one and two is the background of the study and the review of the related literature respectively. In chapter three, the research methodology and over all design of the study was presented. Chapter four, dealt with data presentation and analysis. The educational implication of the study, recommendation and summary were contained in chapter five. References and appendices were inclusive.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of Study

According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (2001) “Effect” means (i) a change produced by an action or cause; a result or an outcome; (ii) an impression created in the mind of a spectator, read, etc while watching a play, listening to music or looking at a painting. Effect as used in the research topic can then be defined as a positive change produced by an action, a desirable outcome or a result.

Science is the study of the natural things around us (Modern Biology). Biology being a branch of science involves the study of living and non-living things (Sarojini, 2001) similarly, World Book Encyclopedia (1995), defined biology as the scientific study of living things. Traditionally, biology is divided into two branches viz; botany, the study of animals. Some of the usefulness of biology were cited by Sarojini (2001), as follows: it helps in (i) scientific research and development of new tools and techniques which invariably improve the quality of our lives, (ii) finding applications in medicine, dentistry, vetenary science, agriculture and horticulture; (iii) biotechnology which include fields like genetic engineering and hybridoma technology (i) dealing with ecological problems such as over population, food shortage, erosion, pollution, disease etc. Practical biology is the scientific study of the life and structure of plants and animals and their relative environments in real or experimental set-up rather than dwelling in the theory and ideas (Opuh, Eze and Eze Magu; 2008). On its preamble to the international senior secondary school certificate examination syllabus; West African Examination Council WAEC (1998-2003), buttresses the need for biology practical in teaching and learning of biology in the secondary schools. The syllabus was designed to assess candidates in;