Effects of Self-Regulated Learning Intervention on Motivation and Academic Performance in Cellular Respiration among Secondary School Students in Katsina State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026318Abstract
This study investigated the effect of a Self-Regulated Learning Intervention (SRLI) on motivation and academic performance in Biology among secondary school students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Four research questions and four corresponding null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi-experimental, pretest–post-test control group design was adopted to determine the impact of the intervention on students’ motivation and academic performance in cellular respiration. From a population of 5,378 SSII students in Dutsin-Ma Education Zone, Katsina State, a multi-stage sample of 85 students was drawn and categorised into experimental (n = 48) and control (n = 37) groups. Data were collected using the Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and a Cellular Respiration Performance Test (CRPT), which were validated by three experts and pilot tested, yielding reliability coefficients of 0.859 and 0.816, respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results showed that the SRLI group had significantly higher post-test scores in motivation (MD = 11.84) and academic performance (MD = 3.03) than the control group. ANCOVA indicated a significant main effect of the intervention on motivation, F (1, 80) = 39.72, p < .05, and academic performance, F (1, 80) = 25.67, p < .05. No significant gender differences were found for motivation, F (1, 80) = 1.30, p > .05, or academic performance, F (1, 80) = 0.106, p > .05, indicating that the intervention was equally effective for male and female students. The study concludes that SRLI is a highly effective, gender-inclusive strategy for teaching complex biological concepts and recommends its systematic integration into classroom practice
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