African Journal of Pure and Applied Science Education Volume 18, Number 1, pp 1 – 20, July 2020 www.ajopase.com; [email protected]ISSN 11187670 Fasuyi, O. A AJOPASE, Vol. 18, No. 1, July 2020 EFFECTS OF ENHANCED INQUIRY AND INQUIRY INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY. Fasuyi Oluwaseun Abosede Department of Science and Technology, University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos State. [email protected]Abstract One of the objectives of teaching Biology is to be able to apply biological principles in everyday matters that affect personal, social, environmental, community health and economic problems. In order to achieve this, engagement of students in biology classes is expedient. To this end, this study examined the effect of enhanced inquiry and inquiry strategies on students’ cognitive, emotional and behavioural engagements in Biology classes. The study adopted the quasi experimental pre-test, post-test control group research design involving a total of 232 students (137 males and 95 females). The instruments used for data collection were students’ mental ability test and classroom engagement inventory. Inferential statistics employed for data analysis is multivariate analysis of covariance. Analysis of data revealed that there is significant effect of enhanced inquiry instructional strategy on students’ cognitive and behavioural engagement only while gender had no significant effect on students’ cognitive, behavioural and emotional engagement. Mental ability on the other hand had no significant effect on emotional engagement but had a significant effect on cognitive and behavioural engagement. Recommendations included that teachers should embrace enhanced inquiry instructional strategy. Background to the study Biology, a field in science originates from the Greek words ‘bio’ meaning life and ‘logy’ meaning study of Ekwu (2012) defined biology as a natural science which deals with the study of living organisms. Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organism, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution and taxonomy (Aquaten, 2004). Biologists study the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and distribution of living organisms (Bagley, 2014). The inclusion of biology in the secondary school curriculum serves as foundation for future career as well as acquiring additional knowledge and specialization in any branch of pure and applied biology. Teaching is expedient since curriculum has been developed. The major aim of teaching biology in schools is to facilitate the students’ acquisition of science process skills and to promote the understanding of the concept being taught with a view of applying the knowledge of such understanding to real life situations. There are so many methods that have been used in teaching biology. Among these different kinds of methodologies, inquiry method
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African Journal of Pure and Applied Science Education Volume 18, Number 1, pp 1 – 20, July 2020 www.ajopase.com; [email protected] ISSN 11187670
Fasuyi, O. A AJOPASE, Vol. 18, No. 1, July 2020
EFFECTS OF ENHANCED INQUIRY AND INQUIRY INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY.
Fasuyi Oluwaseun Abosede
Department of Science and Technology, University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos State. [email protected]
Abstract
One of the objectives of teaching Biology is to be able to apply biological principles in everyday matters that affect personal, social, environmental, community health and economic problems. In order to achieve this, engagement of students in biology classes is expedient. To this end, this study examined the effect of enhanced inquiry and inquiry strategies on students’ cognitive, emotional and behavioural engagements in Biology classes. The study adopted the quasi experimental pre-test, post-test control group research design involving a total of 232 students (137 males and 95 females). The instruments used for data collection were students’ mental ability test and classroom engagement inventory. Inferential statistics employed for data analysis is multivariate analysis of covariance. Analysis of data revealed that there is significant effect of enhanced inquiry instructional strategy on students’ cognitive and behavioural engagement only while gender had no significant effect on students’ cognitive, behavioural and emotional engagement. Mental ability on the other hand had no significant effect on emotional engagement but had a significant effect on cognitive and behavioural engagement. Recommendations included that teachers should embrace enhanced inquiry instructional strategy.
Background to the study
Biology, a field in science originates from the Greek words ‘bio’ meaning life and ‘logy’ meaning study of
Ekwu (2012) defined biology as a natural science which deals with the study of living organisms. Biology
is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organism, including their structure, function,
growth, evolution, distribution and taxonomy (Aquaten, 2004). Biologists study the structure, function,
growth, origin, evolution and distribution of living organisms (Bagley, 2014). The inclusion of biology in
the secondary school curriculum serves as foundation for future career as well as acquiring additional
knowledge and specialization in any branch of pure and applied biology. Teaching is expedient since
curriculum has been developed. The major aim of teaching biology in schools is to facilitate the students’
acquisition of science process skills and to promote the understanding of the concept being taught with a
view of applying the knowledge of such understanding to real life situations. There are so many methods
that have been used in teaching biology. Among these different kinds of methodologies, inquiry method
African Journal of Pure and Applied Science Education Volume 18, Number 1, pp 1 – 20, July 2020 www.ajopase.com; [email protected] ISSN 11187670
Fasuyi, O. A AJOPASE, Vol. 18, No. 1, July 2020
Gender did not affect the engagement of student therefore both female and male students should be
treated equally by the teachers with no preference for one.
Students should be encouraged to use personal science journal as this will assist them in monitoring
their own ideas/knowledge about the concept taught which would finally influence their engagement
in biology classes
Ministries of Education at both Federal and state levels and other stakeholder should organize
continuous seminars/workshops for teachers where they can be trained/re-trained on how to assist
the student to learn better by being engaged in class.
In developing instructional plan, teachers should put into consideration the different activities that
will take place in the class and the group discussion that will be set up during the teaching. The teacher
should make sure that each group consists of students with low, medium and high mental abilities.
Also, gender should be evenly distributed in each group that is no group should be dominated by
either male or female.
References
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African Journal of Pure and Applied Science Education Volume 18, Number 1, pp 1 – 20, July 2020 www.ajopase.com; [email protected] ISSN 11187670
Fasuyi, O. A AJOPASE, Vol. 18, No. 1, July 2020
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