EFFECTS OF IMPROVISED AND STANDARD INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY

Abstract

This study explored how improvised and standard instructional materials impact secondary students' achievement in Biology. The study was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. The research adopted a quasi-experimental design within Enugu Education Zone, Enugu State. The population comprised 4,737 Senior Secondary II students across 33 schools. A sample of 316 students from six co- educational schools was randomly selected, with equal gender representation. The students were divided into three groups; one taught with improvised materials, another with standard instructional materials, and a control group using traditional methods, determined through balloting without replacement. The researcher developed the Biology Achievement Test (BAT) to measure students’ pre-test and post-test scores over six weeks. Data analysis involved mean, standard deviation, and ANCOVA at a 0.05 significance level. Results revealed a significant difference in achievement scores favoring students taught with either improvised or standard materials compared to conventional methods. No significant gender differences were found in achievement scores indicating that gender did not influence performance when using either instructional approach. The findings imply that utilizing instructional materials whether improvised or standard can enhance students’ understanding and achievement in Biology. The study recommends that Biology teachers incorporate such materials in their teaching to improve learning outcomes, emphasizing their proven effectiveness. From the recommendations conclusions were drowned.