Improving Biology Students’ Interest and Achievement through Collaborative Instructional Strategy

Aims: The study was designed to determine the effect of collaborative instructional strategy in improving students’ interest and achievement in Biology.

Study Design: The study was adopted quasi-experimental research design and was conducted in Obollo-Afor education zone.

Place and Duration: The study was conducted in Obollo-Afor education zone of Enugu state and spanned 7 months, between October 2018 to May 2019.

Methodology: Population of the study comprised of 1,691 SSI Biology students, from where a sample of 200 students from six (6) intact classes was sampled using multi-stage sampling procedure, to take part in the study. Biology achievement test and Biology interest inventory were instruments used to collect data for the study. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation and ANCOVA.

Results: Findings revealed that students taught Biology using collaborative instructional strategy had better achievement and interest ratings, than those taught with the conventional method, female Biology students have slightly better interest and achievement that male Biology students when taught with collaborative instructional strategy and the interaction effect of gender and instructional method on achievement is significant.

Conclusion: The study concludes that considering the ability of the collaborative instructional strategy to improve interest and achievement in Biology, it should be adopted as a method of teaching the subject in Nigerian secondary schools.