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Full Project – Effect of role-play method on academic achievement of biology students in selected secondary schools

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of explanations and predictions about the universe. Science education on its own is the field concerned with sharing science content and process with individuals not traditionally considered part of the scientific community. The target individual may be children, college students or adult within the general public. The field of science education comprises science content, some social sciences and some teaching Pedagogy (Berube, 2008). The standard for science education provides exceptions for the development of understanding for students throughout their entire course of the study. The national policy on Education encourages all processes geared towards producing educators and scholars that will encourage the spirit of role play method (FME.2008); One of the objectives secondary school Education in Nigeria is to inculcate in children permanent literacy and numeracy and the ability to communicate effectively. The objectives according to Onwu (1993) include the need to prepare students to observe and explore the environment to explain simple natural phenomena and to develop scientific attitudes such as curiosity, critical reflection and objectivity. Also to enable students apply the skills and knowledge gained through science to solve everyday problems in the environment, and to develop self-confidence and self-reliance through problem solving activities in science to be able to pursue this noble objective, among others, biology was included as one of core subjects. The general objective of biology education is to enable pupils observe and explore the environment using their senses and their hands. The objectives are specifically aimed to enable the learners: develop interest in science and technology, acquire basic knowledge and skill in science and technology, apply their scientific and technological knowledge and skill to meet their societal needs, take advantage of the numerous career opportunities offered by science and technology and become prepared for further studies in biology NERDC (2007). These objectives are enshrined in the basic science and technology curriculum, derived from the National policy on Education. The design of the curriculum is based on the idea of spirally of themes which are arranged from year one to year six, that is, from the beginning with the simple to the complex across the 9 (nine) years of basic education in order to sustain the interest of learner promote and meaningful learning (NPE, 2008). Thus the above objectives which aim at the interest of the students brings us to the topic for this study which is the effects of role play method on academic achievement and interest in biology students in senior secondary school. Teaching methods are ways used by teachers to create learning environment and to specify the nature of the activity in which the teacher and the learner will be involved during instructional delivery process. It is primarily a description of learning objective oriented activities and the flow of information between the teacher and the learner(s), O’Banon (2002) categorized teaching method into two approaches; namely; student centered approach and teacher centered-approach. Teacher-centered approaches are grounded in behaviorism and include all the teaching methods that see the teacher as possessor of knowledge. These methods include lecture expository, demonstration, discussion, recitation etc. while student centered approaches are grounded in constructivism and includes all the instructional methods that underscores teachers as decision makers and problem solvers but rather as a guide in the learning process.

The teacher’s role in a student-centered learning environment is, at most, one of facilitator and guide. The students are in control of their own learning and the power and responsibility are the students concern. Learning may be independent, collaborative, cooperative and competitive. The utilization and processing of information is more important than the basic content. Learning takes place in relative contexts and students are engaged in constructing their own knowledge (Theroux, 2001). The teacher who utilizes the student centered method effectively is constantly on the move. The teacher may be engaged with the students as a classroom collective, individually or in groups. Their involvement would include questioning, disciplining, guiding, validating, monitoring, motivating, encouraging, suggesting, modeling and clarifying (McKenzie, 2005). This student centered method is in line with the National Policy on Education.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The role play method is described as a range of philosophical, curricular and pedagogical approaches to teaching. It is an instructional method developed during the discovery learning movements of the 1960s. It was developed in response to perceived failure of more traditional forms of instruction, where students are required simply to memorize facts laden instructional materials (Bruner, 1961). Role play method of learning is a form of active learning where progress is assessed by how well students develop experimental and analytical skills rather than how much knowledge they possess role play method specifics-data or facts but wants students to make generalization. It is carefully planned, closely supervised, targeted on-going assessment and intervention by an instructional team of a school. It allows students to discover specific information by themselves before they make generalization. There is no prescribed target result which the students have to achieve; rather students are allowed to discover facts for themselves (Okoli, 2001). Rolle play method allows students to discover specifics by themselves before they make generalizations.

Role play method of learning has been of great influence to science education where it is known as role play based learning, especially since the publication of US National Science Education standard in 1996. Since this publication some educators have advocated a return to more traditional method of teaching and assessment. Others feel role play method is important in teaching biology to student than the lecture method. Lecture teaching method is concerned with the teacher being the controller of the learning environment. Power and responsibilities are held by the teacher and they play the role of instructor (in the form of lectures) and decision makers (in regards to curriculum content and specific outcome) They regard students as having knowledge holes that needs to be filled with information. The traditional teacher view is that the teacher causes learning to occur, (Novac, 1998). According to Awodi, (2001), the lecture method is mainly teacher- centered, with students being constantly passive and contents are constantly taught as absolute knowledge irrespective of the above comments on lecture method of teaching. Lecture method is mostly employed by most science teachers because of some of its advantages which include the fact that it can be used to cover a large content area at a time and students are given the same content at the same time. Another major advantage is that it can be used to teach a large class which is a prominent feature in most Nigerian secondary schools. It has been observed that effective teaching may facilitate learning and make it more meaningful. In line with this Sander (2001) stated that effective teaching helps the learner to learn better, while poor teaching would naturally lead to poor learning and consequently poor achievement.

1.2 Statement of Problem

There is high rate of poor achievement of students in biology Secondary School examination over the years. This could be as of the teachers use ineffective methods and strategies in science teaching which among other factors have contributed to the student’s poor achievement in biology at senior secondary. This poor achievement in biology has necessitated the need for biology in senior secondary school by the Federal Government. The available literature on methods of teaching in science education suggests the need to employ new and innovative teaching strategy such as role play method of teaching. There is need to explore more into the best methods of teaching specific topics in biology in other to enhance students’ achievement. Therefore, the problem of this study is posed as a question; what is the effect of role play method on academic achievement and interest in biology in senior secondary school?

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to find out the effect of role play method on academic achievement and interest in biology in senior secondary school?

Specifically, the study will determine:

the effects of role play method on academic achievement and interest in biology in senior secondary school?
the effect of role play method on academic achievement and interest in biology ‘mean interest scores in biology.
the influence of gender on mean achievement scores of students in biology.
the influence of gender on students’ mean interest scores in biology.
the interaction effect of teaching method and gender on student mean achievement scores in biology.
the interaction effect of teaching method and gender on student mean interest scores in biology.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The result of this study will be of immense benefit to biology teachers, curriculum planners, Ministry of Education, teacher training institution and researchers and psychologists. The outcome of this study will expose biology teachers to more effective techniques of promoting learning, which help to minimize student’s low achievement in the subjects. It will make their teaching/learning activities successful. Since role play method is interaction-oriented, it will equally enable them see the need why they should ensure that their classes possess qualities of guided classroom which include being democratic, and allowing active participation of learners. In a class where all these qualities exist, students will be active, inquisitive and will be able to transfer what they learnt in the classroom to real life situation Also, it will enable biology teachers to adjust their teaching pattern and recognize students’ ownership of ideas which will be negotiated in the classroom. This will enable the teachers to enjoy teaching as students achieve highly. The findings will be of use to the curriculum planners, to plan biology curriculum in such a way that the contents will be filled with activities which teachers and students will do together. Curriculum planners would find the result of this study a relevant tool for curriculum reforms and improvement in line with the Nigerian curriculum 6-3-3-4 which recommends students centered pedagogical method that can assist in achieving the national educational goals which include, the acquisition of appropriate skills, mental, physical and social abilities and competence that will equip the individual to live in and contribute to the development of the society (Isiugo-Abanihe et al 2010). The federal ministry of education and other researchers will through this study organize workshops, seminars and conferences for review of pedagogy in science teaching to address the issue of integrating new ideas on teaching of biology. It might help them in identifying the concept of learners’ cognitive style and teaches instructional style in educational programmed planning that could be included in later review of basic science curriculum. It will provide useful information to teachers training institutions. These institutions can enrich their method courses or develop new programmed of instructions based on the findings of this study.

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study is focused on the effect of role play method on student’s achievement and interest in Biology in secondary schools in Kano municipal. The study is limited to SS II students in the zone. The topic was also delimited to Simple Machine, because it is taught at this stage in the biology curriculum. It will also determine the influence of gender on students’ achievement and interest in biology when taught with role play method of teaching.

1.6 Research Questions

The following research questions were posed to guide the study:

What is the relative effect of role play method and other teaching methods on students’ mean achievement scores in biology?
What is the relative effect of role play method and other methods on students’ mean interest scores in biology?
What is the influence of gender on mean achievement scores of students taught biology using role play method of teaching?
What is the influence of gender on mean achievement scores of students taught biology using role play method of teaching?
What is the interactive effect of teaching method and gender on students’ mean

achievement scores in biology?

What is the interactive effect of teaching method and gender on students’ mean interest scores in biology?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses (Ho) were formulated and will be tested at 0.05% level of significance:

HO1: There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught biology using role play method and other teaching methods.

HO2: There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of students taught biology using the two methods.

HO3: There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught biology using the two methods.

HO4: There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of male and female students taught biology using the two methods.

HO5: There is no significant interaction effect of teaching methods and gender on students mean achievement scores in biology.

HO6: There is no significant interaction effect of teaching method and gender on student’s mean interest scores in biology.

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