INQUIRY-BASED INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY IN ENHANCING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BIOLOGY

Abstract

The study examined the effect of Inquiry-Based Innovative Pedagogy in enhancing Student’s learning outcomes in Biology in Calabar South, Cross River State. Two research purposes, two research questions and two research hypotheses were guided by the study and utilized a quasi research design with pre-test, post –test, and randomized group design. 683 Senior Secondary Two Biology Students from the eight (8) public secondary schools in the research location comprised the study population. A Simple Random Sampling Method of balloting was used to select two schools in the study location. 25 students assigned to the experimental group (inquiry based pedagogy) and 56 students assigned to the control group (lecture pedagogy) made up the sample size for the study. Two (2) instruments were used for the study namely instructional treatment package on the Human Skeletal System and Biology Achievement Test (BAT). Two lecturers, one with expertise in Biology and one in testing and measurement, face-validated the instrument which had a 20 item questions. A reliability co-efficient of 0.75 was yielded to determine the internal consistency for Biology Achievement Test (BAT) using Kuder Richardson Formula – 21. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, and hypotheses tested at the 0.05 level of significance using analysis of covariance. Inquiry-based innovative pedagogy was seen to have a significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught Biology when compared with those taught with lecture-based pedagogy. The male student performed better than their female counterparts in inquiry-based innovative pedagogy. Among other things it was recommended that the Biology curriculum should be reviewed and aligned to incorporate more hands-on, inquiry based activities that promote deeper understanding and engagement among students.