COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF CONCEPT MAPPING AND PROBLEM SOLVING ON SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN MINNA METROPOLIS

Abstract

The study investigated comparative effects of concept mapping and problem solving strategies on secondary school biology students’ achievement in Minna Metropolis.The study adopted pre-test post-test non-randomized quasi experimental research. The population of the study comprises of all senior secondary school biology students in Minna, Niger state Nigeria and target population were SS II Biology students. Intact class of 212 students (male =114, female=98) participated for the study from three randomly selected senior secondary schools in Minna, Niger. The Instrument used for data collection named Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and treatment material was Concept Mapping, Problem Solving Strategies and Conventional Lecture Method). The BAT comprises of 30 multiple choice objective questions. The Biology Achievement Test (BAT) were validated by three experts in Biology Education in both university and secondary school, because the research was carried out in colleges of education. Experimental group were given Pretest before the treatment and after treatment posttest were administered on them. Experimental group one was exposed to the use of Concept Mapping, experimental group two was exposed to Problem solving Strategy while Control group was exposed to Conventional Lecture Method (LM). Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the research questions while ANCOVA was used analyzed hypotheses. Results; it was established that there was significant difference in the achievement of students taught biology using Concept Mapping, Problem Solving Strategy and Conventional Lecture Method. Also, there was no significant difference in achievement of male and female biology students taught using Concept Mapping and Problem Solving Strategy Conclusion; it was recommended that the use of Concept mapping and problem solving strategies for teaching and learning biology should be encouraged in secondary schools in Niger State