Abstract:
Environmental concepts are taught in senior secondary schools Biology to equip students with
knowledge to solve societal problems. However, reports have shown that students‟ learning
outcomes related to environmental concepts in Biology are low in Ekiti State, Nigeria. These
have been largely attributed to teachers‟ poor knowledge of curriculum content, teachers‟ poor
pedagogical content knowledge and student-related factors. Previous studies focused largely on
intervention programmes through the use of teaching strategies, with little attention paid to
curriculum content, pedagogical content knowledge and student-related factors that could
influence learning outcomes in environmental concepts (achievement, attitude to and
practices). This study, therefore, was carried out to investigate curriculum content, pedagogical
content knowledge, student-related factors (motivation, emotional intelligence and cognitive
style) and learning outcomes in environmental concepts in Biology in Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Heider‟s Attribution, Ausubel‟s Meaningful Reception Learning and Social Constructivist
theories provided the framework, while the survey design of correlational type was adopted.
Three Local Governments Areas (LGAs) (Ado, Ikere, Ido-Osi) were randomly selected in Ekiti
State. From each LGA, five senior secondary schools were randomly selected, making a total
of 15 schools. Intact classes were used and a total of 1000 students participated, while 15
Biology teachers were enumerated. The instruments used were Biology Students‟
Environmental Achievement (r=0.83), Students Cognitive Style (r=0.81) tests, Biology
Environmental Attitudinal (α=0.88) scale, Biology Students‟ Environmental Practices
(α=0.82), Biology Curriculum Content Rating (r=0.87), Teachers‟ Pedagogical Content
Knowledge Rating(r=0.88), Students Motivation (α=0.80) and Students Emotional Intelligence
(α=0.80) scales. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Pearson‟s product moment
correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance.
The majority of the teachers were male (88.2%), while the majority of the students were female
(65%). Biology curriculum content(r =0.62), students‟ emotional intelligence (r=0.01) and
motivation (r=0.11) had significant positive relationships with students‟ achievement, while
pedagogical content knowledge and cognitive style were not related to achievement.
Motivation (r=0.18), emotional intelligence (r=0.33) and cognitive style (0.25) had significant
positive relationships with students‟ attitude, while curriculum content and pedagogical content
knowledge were not related to attitude. Motivation (r=0.16), emotional intelligence (r=0.31)
and cognitive style (r=0.24) had significant positive relationships with students‟ practices in
environmental concepts in Biology. There was a significant joint contribution of the
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independent variables (curriculum content, pedagogical content knowledge, motivation,
emotional intelligence and cognitive styles) to the achievement in environmental concepts in
Biology (F(3.11)=2.63; Adj. R2
=0.26),accounting for 26% of its variance; but they did not jointly
contribute to attitude and practices. Curriculum content (β=0.58; t =2.23) contributed to
students‟ achievement in Biology environmental concepts, but did not contribute to attitude
and practices. Motivation (β=0.26) and cognitive style (β=0.15) relatively contributed to
attitude, but did not relatively contribute to achievement and practices in environmental
concepts in Biology.
Curriculum content enhanced students‟ achievement in environmental concepts in Biology in
senior secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Therefore, there is the need to strengthen
Biology teachers‟ pedagogical content knowledge for improved learning outcomes.
