Effect of Computer Simulation and Jigsaw Technique in Teaching Reproductive System in Human in Senior Secondary Schools Minna Metropolis, Niger State.

Abstract

The conventional method of teaching is most common in Nigeria and researchers have shown that this method has led to poor performance of students in Biology and in other subjects. Researchers have been able to ascertain that students will learn best when they participate in the teaching-learning process. This study examined the effects of Computer simulation and jigsaw technique on the performance of senior secondary school students in Biology in Minna metropolis, Niger state. The study also investigated gender differences in the performance of Male and Female students in Biology. The sample used consists of seventy-eight (78) Senior Secondary (SSII) Biology students. Twenty-six (26) students consisting of thirteen (13) males and thirteen (13) females were randomly selected from each school. The schools were randomly assigned to Experimental group 1, Experimental group 2 and Control group. Experimental group 1 (n=26) was treated with jigsaw technique, experimental group 2 (n=26) was treated with computer simulation, while the control group (n=26) was treated with the conventional teaching method. A quasi-experimental design employing pre-test, treatment and post-test was adopted. The test instrument used for the study was twenty (20) multiple-choice Biology Achievement Test (BAT) questions. The test had a reliability index of 0.72 determined using split- half reliability approach. The data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), t-test, mean, standard deviation and mean gains. Three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Treatments used had significant effects on students’ Post-test achievement score. Students exposed to Computer simulation and jigsaw techniques performed better than their counterparts who were taught with conventional teaching method (F=8.811, df=2, 75 P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the performance of the Male and Female students taught with both Computer simulation and jigsaw technique. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that biology teachers should adopt computer simulation technique and jigsaw technique in teaching Biology concepts in view of its high facilitative effect on students’ performance