Impact of Teaching the Human Skeletal System using Models on Biology Student’s Academic Performance and Retention in Uyo, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the impact of teaching the human skeletal system using models on biology student’s academic performance and retention in Uyo, Nigeria. the two models used were concrete and iconic. The concrete model used was the human skeletal system while a chart showing the human skeleton was used as the iconic model. The post-test performances as well as retention test performances of biology students taught using the concrete model were compared with those of their counterparts taught using the iconic model. The study also investigated the influence of gender on students’ mean performance scores in biology with respect to concrete and iconic models. The design of the study was quasi-experimental, involving non-randomized pretest-posttest experimental group design. One hundred and forty- four (144) Senior Secondary one (SSI) Biology Students were drawn from two intact classes. The two intact classes were randomly assigned to concrete and iconic model groups, respectively. The biology performance Test (BAT) and Biology Retention Test (BRT) were administered as a Pre-test and Post-test and retention test, appropriately. Four research questions and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. ...