Impact Of Using Experimental Approach In Teaching And Learning Biology In Secondary School

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Science is a great enterprise, which nations depend on in order to advance technologically. Science therefore is receiving much emphasis in education because of its significance and relevance to life and society. Chinwe and Chukelu (2008) defined science as the study of environment through which people can develop both the mind of inquiry, discipline and logical power of thought. Science includes subjects like biology, chemistry and physics. Justiny (2016) stated that science, as dynamic human activity, is concerned with the understanding of the world. According to him, science is more concerned with various investigative processes and activities with regard to developing, acquiring and controlling knowledge, skills, capabilities and attitudes about the natural factors of the environment.
Biology is an integral part of science that focuses on living things (Plants and Animals). Biology is also a branch of science and prerequisite subject for many fields of learning; it contributes immensely to the technological growth of the nation. This includes medicine, agriculture, forestry, nursing and biotechnology. The study of biology in senior secondary schools can equip students with useful concepts, principles and theories that will enable them face challenges before and after graduation (Nwagbo&Uzomaka, 2011). According to Ogundipe (2013), a place where practical activities takes place is known as the laboratory. Thatbiologist‟s work in the laboratory does not necessarily mean that practical can only be done in the laboratory. It only points to the fact that, the condition in the laboratory can be organized for effective practical activities. Practical activities in biology provide opportunities for students to learn science by actually participating in the laboratory experiment. Ogundipe (2013) maintained that practical activities should engage students in hand-on, mind-on activities, using varieties of instructional materials to drive the lesson home. Nwagbo (2008:41) has stated that; “the use of practical activities (approach) to the teaching of biological concepts should therefore be a rule rather than an option to biology teachers, if we hope to produce students that would be able to acquire necessary knowledge, and competence needed to meet the scientific and technological demands of the nation”.
Research in biology has shown that students learn more from practical biology lesson when they are given the opportunity to learn through doing than when they are allowed to observe (Ibe 2004; Mandor 2008; Nwosu 2014). They enjoy measuring and classifying data, observing specimens, manipulating apparatus, designing experiments, interpreting data, testing of hypothesis and making inferences. These mental processes can only be developed and acquired if the students are allowed to participate in practical activities. The laboratory activities are usually less formal than conventional classroom teaching. Thus, a biology practical class offers opportunities for productive, co-operative and exchanges among students and with teacher that have the potential to promote learning.
Realizing the importance of science skills as solution to scientific problems, the Federal Government, among other things, stated as one of the national goals of education in Nigeria that; “education should aim at helping the students in the acquisition of appropriate skills and abilities as equipment for students to live in, and contribute to the development of the society”. (FederalRepublic of Nigeria (FRN), 2013:29). In order to realize this goal, associations such as Science Teachers‟ Association of Nigeria (STAN) and Nigeria Integrated Science Project (NSP) were set up by the government to look into the various curricula used at various levels of the Nigerian educational system. These goal and aspiration cannot be realized except through the effective effort of the classroom teacher.
WAEC Chief Examiner‟s Report (2010, 2013 & 2014), in Sangodoyin (2015:85), attributed the source of students‟ poor performance in practical biology to the following: “The high conceptual nature of biology practical which make it difficult to understand, lack of interest in the subject on the part of the students and inadequate practical work, shortage of qualified and pedagogically trained biology teachers”. The neglect of the practical aspect of biology in schools has been blamed on such factors as the inability of the school authority to provide materials and equipment for practical work and teacher‟s failure to recognize the importance of practical work in science teaching. Onwu (2017) observed that teachers have an obligation to help students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. This is only attainable when appropriate teaching and learning strategies are adopted, particularly at the senior secondary school level.
Bichi (2012) reported that various teaching methods were used by teachers in the teaching of biology aimed at bringing about meaningful learning. These include lecture method, demonstration method, discovery method and experimentation method, among many others. However, the most commonly used is the lecture method. This is mostly employed among science teachers because of some ofits advantages, which include the fact that it can be used to cover a large content area at a time and the students are given the same content at the same time. The discovery method brings home to students their notions of the nature of scientific evidence; students come to learn that answers to questions could often be obtained from investigations they can carry outthemselves.A good demonstration method holds the learner‟s attention, thus facilitating learning by giving students the opportunity to see and hear what is actually happening in the classroom. Thismethod has failed in the recognition of the uniqueness of the inquirybased nature of science and the learner‟s individuality(Awotua-Efebo, 2011). Furthermore, it does not facilitate the development of reasoning skills and processes in the students due to poor retention of students in understanding the biology concepts in practical. These, among other reasons, have not enhanced learning in students and thus have led to poor performance of students in biology practical. Based on the foregoing, the researcher considered it necessary to explore the impact of using experimental approach in teaching and learning biology in secondary school.

1.2 Statement of the Problem
The dwindling students‟ performance in science especially biology has been a source of concern to all stakeholders. Many scholars have tried to find out,various reasons for the poor performance in biology among students in senior secondary schools. Despite the efforts by science educators, the performance of many students in science is still at abysmal level. This situation is easily attributed to factors such as teachers‟ teaching method, inadequate qualified biology teachers, lack of instructional materials and nonavailability of laboratory facilities. Other factors such as wrong spelling of technical terms, wrong representation of view, poor drawing, inability to identify some illustrated organisms, inability to write brief and precise answers and poor grasp of the subject matter lead to failure of students in practical biology (Soyinbo, 2010). The majority of secondary schools in rural and urban areas do not have laboratories. Where these laboratories exist, they are poorly equipped. The learners, therefore, have to memorise practical work theoretically in order to pass the examination when they are writing practical biology papers. Most of the learners sit for examinations without being exposed to practical work.A sound theoretical and practical knowledge of biology is needed for the management of our natural resources, provision of good health facilities, and favourable life environment. Thus, the teaching and learning of biology has to be encouraged in the schools. Moreover, this neglect, no doubt has relegated these subjects to the background in our senior secondary certificate examination. A close look at the 2016 – 2017 SSCE result of students, confirm that students‟ performance has been very poor generally and particularly in biology practical. Failure is a great problem, as it will affect the students‟ performances in science in senior secondary schools.In the light of the above, it should be a general concern of every Nigerian, including the researcher to view this backwardness with some seriousness. There is great need to look into the issue of teaching and learning of the science subjects (biology). Biology is needed in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and food technology. Thus, this study sought to determine the impact of using experimental approach in teaching and learning biology in secondary school.

1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of using experimental approach in teaching and learning biology in secondary school. Specifically, this study shall:
1.Find out whether experimental instructional approach facilitates effective teaching and learning of Biology in Ikot Ekpene.
2.Investigate the extent teachers adopts the experimental approach for the teaching and learning of practical oriented concepts in Biology in Ikot Ekpene.
3.Ascertain whether experimental approach helps to stimulate students interest and attitude towards mathematics subject.
4.Ascertain whether experimental approach helps in boosting students comprehension and retention of Biology subject.
5.Find out whether experimental approach helps to enhance the level of students academic performance in Biology subject

1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions are extracts from purpose of study:
a. Does experimental instructional approach facilitate effective teaching and learning of Biology in secondary schools in Ikot Ekpene?
b. What is the extent teachers adopts the experimental approach for the teaching and learning of practical oriented concepts in Biology in Ikot Ekpene?
c. Does experimental approach help to stimulate students interest and attitude towards mathematics subject?
d. Does experimental approach help in boosting students comprehension and retention of Biology subject?
e. Does experimental approach help to enhance the level of students academic performance in Biology subject?

1.5 Research Hypothesis
Ho: Experimental instructional approach does not facilitates effective teaching and learning of Biology in Ikot Ekpene.
Ha: Experimental instructional approach does not facilitates effective teaching and learning of Biology in Ikot Ekpene.

1.6 Significance of the Study
The results obtained from this study will be of great benefit to the following: biology students, teachers, governments, curriculum planners/developers, textbook writers and future researchers.The study will be of relevance to biology students; when they understand more the importance of biology practical skills, they are equipped to secure employment, and this would in no small measure make them contribute meaningfully to the development of the society. Practical method of teaching can also increase the interest of the student to practical works. The study will be of benefit to biology teachers, as it will help them in choosing appropriate instructional method and materials capable of releasing students‟ tension toward the subject. It will also motivate teachers to develop interest in utilizing modern instructional materials like using experiments in teaching topics that are experimental in nature and selecting suitable teaching methods that will be a possible means towards reducing failure in the teaching and learning of biology. The study will also sensitize biology teachers on the benefits of the use of practical techniques for teaching, as it will have a great effect on the academic performance of the students. The study will serve as a revelation to the government, resulting in the proper equipment of secondary schools with necessary practical materials for the teaching of biology, and posting of qualified biology teachers to secondary schools based on their profession. This study will also enable the curriculum planners to modify, where necessary, the present system of conducting biology practical activities within the scheme of their evaluation techniques by re-examining the units of the subject matter taught in schools and identifying their corresponding indigenous knowledge and instructional material. This will make the teaching of biology interesting and more meaningful to the students. This study would furnish authors of secondary school biology textbooks with vital information that would enable the textbooks appeal to the interestexperience and abilities of the students by designing functional books and taking into consideration the type of activities that are learner-centered and of interest to students, which if included in the texts they use will make such texts more beneficial to them and promote the harmonization of biology teaching and learning activities across the country.
This study could also serve as a source of information for further research work on the topic. Additionally, the findings could augment the pool of data required by other educational researchers in their bid to design interventions for solving educational problems in sciences, and biology in particular.Finally, it is hoped that this study will contribute ideas for improving teaching and learning of practical biology in secondary schools, as well as technological policy formulation and development in the country.

1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of this study boarders on the impact of using experimental approach in teaching and learning biology in secondary school. However, the study will be delimited to some selected senior secondary schools in Ikot Ekpene.
Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing to the nature of the discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. More so, the choice of the sample size was limited as few respondent were selected to answer the research instrument hence cannot be generalize to other secondary schools. However, despite the constraint encountered during the research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.9 Definition Of Terms
Teaching: Teaching often involves inquiring, listening, providing information, explaining a phenomena, showing a skill or process, testing understanding and ability, and enabling learning activities

1.10 Organizations of the Study
The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, abnd selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.