Effect of Inquiry-Based Instructional Strategy on Senior Secondary Students’ Interest, Achievement and Retention in Biology in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of inquiry-based instructional strategy on senior secondary students’ interest, achievement and retention in Biology in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The study was guided by six research questions and six hypotheses. The quasi-experimental research design was employed for the study. The population of the study composed of eight-eight thousand, seven hundred and twenty-one (88,721) students in the eighty-eight (88) public senior secondary schools in the FCT, Abuja. Sample size of one hundred and twenty-two (122) senior secondary school two (SS II) students from two intact classes. Data of the study were collected using Biology interest assessment scale, Biology achievement test, and Biology retention test with the following corresponding reliability indices of 0.86, 0.82, and 0.79 respectively. Data obtained were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and the independent samples t-test statistics. It was found that students taught Biology using the inquiry-based instructional strategy had significantly higher interest, academic achievement, and retention scores compared to those taught with the conventional teaching method. There were no significant differences in interest, academic achievement, and retention scores between male and female students taught Biology using the inquiry-based instructional strategy. It was concluded that the inquiry-based instructional strategy has significant effect on students’ interest, academic achievement, and retention in Biology without gender bias. It was recommended, among others, that curriculum planners should incorporate inquiry-based instructional strategy into teaching methods for Biology in senior secondary schools to enhance the interest, academic achievement, and retention of students, and teachers should be encouraged to apply the inquiry-based instructional strategy to enhance students’ interest, academic achievement, and retention for effective knowledge transfer.