EFFECT OF DEMONSTRATION AND DISCUSSION METHODS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN POLLINATION CONCEPT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN KATSINA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study investigated the Effect of Demonstration and Discussion Methods on Academic Performance in Pollination Concept among Secondary School Biology Students in Katsina Local Government Area, Katsina State. The research was prompted by the persistent poor academic performance in Biology attributed to inappropriate instructional methods. Four objectives, three research questions, and three null hypotheses guided the study. The research adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design. The population consisted of 17,906 SS II Biology students across 11 public secondary schools in Katsina LGA, comprising 8,865 (49.5%) males and 9,041 (50.5%) females. A sample of 109 students was selected from two coeducational schools using simple random sampling. The Experimental Group (School A) was taught using the Demonstration Method, while the Control Group (School B) was taught using the Discussion Method. Data was collected using the Pollination Concept Performance Test (PCPT), which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.50 through the test-retest method. Data analysis was conducted using Mean and Standard Deviation to answer research questions, while Independent Sample t-test was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed a significant difference in the mean academic performance scores of students, with the demonstration method proving more effective than the discussion method. However, no significant difference was found based on gender within either the demonstration or discussion groups, indicating that both methods are gender-friendly. The study concluded that the demonstration method enhances the understanding of biological concepts like pollination more effectively than the discussion method. Consequently, it was recommended that Biology teachers should prioritize the use of demonstration methods to illustrate sequential biological processes and that the government should provide necessary laboratory materials to facilitate these instructional strategies. Keywords: Biology, Demonstration Method, Discussion Method, Pollination, Academic Performance.