Abstract:
Students often memorise complex biological concepts without really understanding them. This has contributed to massive failure in the subject matter. Reports also revealed that the lack of understanding stems from teachers’ use of inappropriate instructional methods. Previous studies adopted instructional strategies which enable students to learnbiologywithoutreflectingontheirpriorknowledge.Therefore, this study determined the effects of reflective inquiry and explicit reflective instructional strategies on students’ conceptual change and achievement in biology among secondary school students in Abeokuta, Ogun state,Nigeria. The moderating effects of prior knowledge and mental ability were also examined.
Kolb’s theory of Experiential Learning provided the framework, while the pretest posttest delayed control group quasi-experimental design with a 3x3x2 factorial matrix wasadopted.The study employed a multi stage sampling technique. Two Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Abeokuta were randomly selected (Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South). Three secondary schools were randomly selected from each LGA and one intact class of Senior Secondary II biology students from each school were enlisted making a total of 280 participants (150 male, 130 female). Instruments used were Students’ Biology Concept Achievement Test (r=0.86), Students’ Mental Ability Test (r=0.85), Students’ Biology Conceptual Change Assessment Scale (r=0.79), Students’ Students’ Background Knowledge Probes of Biology Concepts(r=0.89) and instructional guides, while treatment lasted 10 weeks. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance at 0.05 level of significance.
Treatment had significant main effect on students’ conceptual change in biology (F (2,241) =21.84; partial η2 = 0.15). Reflective Inquiry Strategy had the highest conceptual change mean score (15.79) followed by Explicit Reflective Strategy (15.40) and Conventional Strategy (12.79) groups. Treatment had significant main effect on students’achievement in biology (F (2,241) = 55.53; partial η2 =0.32]. Participants in ERSgroup had the highest achievement mean score in biology (24.64), followed by IRS (18.73) and CS (13.36) groups. Prior knowledge had a significant main effect on achievement in biology [F (1,241) = 7.80; partial η2 = 0.03]. Students in experimental groups with valid prior knowledge had higher achievement mean score (19.70), while those in control group with invalid prior knowledge had lesser mean score (17.57). Prior knowledge and mental ability had no significant main effect on students’ conceptual change and achievement in biology. There was no significant interaction effect of treatment, prior knowledge and mental ability on students’ conceptual change and achievement in biology.
Reflective inquiry and explicit-reflective instructional strategies improvedstudents’ conceptual change and students’achievement in biology in secondary schools in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Teachers should adopt these strategies to facilitate conceptual understanding and improve students’achievement in biology.
