THE IMPACTS OF BIOLOGY PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN DIFFICULT BIOLOGY CONCEPTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GWALE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, KANO STATE

This study was carried out to determine the impact of practical activities on students’ academic performance in difficult biology concepts in senior secondary schools in Gwale local government, Kano state. The study adopted the quasi-experimental design. The population of the study involved all biology students in the senior secondary schools in Gwale local government with a total population of eleven thousand six hundred and sixteen. A sample of one hundred and fifty-four was purposively selected and placed in the control and experimental groups. Data were collected using Biology Achievement Test developed by the research team and validated a panel of experts in the field of Biology Education. Data obtained from the biology achievement tests was subjected to statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, and percentages, were used to summarize and describe the demographic characteristics and to answer the research questions. On the other hand, the independent sample t-test was used in testing the research hypotheses at a significant level of 0.05. The finding revealed that There is the difference on pre-test and post-test performances of students taught biology using practical activities in senior secondary schools in Kano state; the level of retention of students taught biology concept using practical activities is higher than that of students taught using lecture method in senior secondary schools in Kano state; there is difference in the mean score of rural and urban students taught biology using practical activities and those taught biology using lecture method in senior secondary schools in Kano state; there is difference in the mean score of students taught biology practical activities using real specimen and those taught with charts among senior secondary school students in Kano state. The study recommends among others that since practical activities were found to have positive effects on students’ academic performance, it is recommended that education authorities should encourage and facilitate the integration of practical activities into the biology curriculum at senior secondary schools in Kano state.