EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA.

The study investigated the effects of instructional approaches (Concept Mapping and Mathematical approach) on academic achievement of senior secondary school Biology students in Gombe Metropolis. Quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design was adopted. The population was all senior secondary two (SS2) Biology Students in Gombe metropolis. The sample was two hundred and twenty four (224) SS2 Biology students derived from three senior secondary schools using purposive and simple random sampling technique (Balloting), Genetic achievement test (GAT) was used as an instrument for data collection. The test-retest reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.77. The results revealed that the treatment had significant effects on students’ academic achievement (F (2,222) =76.23, 0.00 p<0.05). It was also found that gender had no significant main effect on student’s academic achievement (F(1,223) =1.07, 0.11 p>0.05). There was also no significant interaction effect of gender and treatment on students’ academic achievement (F (2,223) = 1.26, 0.23 p>0.05). Post hoc test revealed that Mathematics approach group had highest academic achievement in Genetics, followed by concept mapping group and lastly the lecture teaching method group. It was recommended that seminars be organized for Biology teachers to be fully and adequately trained on how to use Mathematical and Concept mapping approaches in teaching secondary school Biology concepts most especially Genetics.