Effects of Jigsaw-Puzzle Instructional Strategy on Secondary School Students’ Performance on Growth as a Concept in Biology in Abia State

Abstract

The study examined the effects of jigsaw-puzzle instructional strategy on secondary school students’ performance on Growth as a concept in Biology in Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State.  Gender effect on Biology students’ performance was also investigated. Two objectives, two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Quasi-experimental design was adopted in this study. One hundred and fifteen (115) Biology students from two mixed secondary schools randomly selected formed the sample size. Biology Performance Test on Growth (BPTOG) which contained twenty (20) multiple choice questions was used for gathering data. Test re-test method was to test the instrument. The BPTOG was validated by two experts in Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Reliability index of 0.76 was obtained using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. Mean and Standard deviation were used in answering the research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that there was a significant difference between the academic performance of students in experimental group and those in control. More so, gender has no effect on Biology students’ performance in jigsaw-puzzle group. It was recommended that Biology teachers should adopt Jigsaw-Puzzle Instructional Strategy in this 21st century classroom to encourage group learning among students.