Effects of Analogy and Guided Inquiry Instructional Strategies on Academic Achievement and Interest in Biology Concepts among Secondary School Students in Adamawa State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026363Abstract
This study investigated the effects of analogy and guided inquiry instructional strategies on students' academic achievement and interest in Biology in senior secondary schools in Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi‑experimental design involving a non‑randomized pretest‑posttest control group. A sample of 436 SS II Biology students was drawn from six schools across Yola and Gombi education zones using multistage sampling, with intact classes assigned to analogy, guided inquiry, and control groups. Data were collected using the Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and Biology Students’ Interest Questionnaire, with the BAT achieving a reliability index of 0.81 using Kuder‑Richardson Formula (K‑R21). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) were employed to test seven hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that analogy and guided inquiry strategies had significant effects on students' academic achievement (p = 0.000) and interest in Biology (p = 0.000) compared to lecture methods. A significant gender effect was found on achievement (p = 0.000) but not on interest (p = 0.705). The study recommends that teachers, curriculum planners, and policymakers promote gender‑inclusive, student‑centered Biology instruction by integrating analogy and guided inquiry strategies into classroom teaching, teacher training, curriculum design, and professional development to enhance students' understanding, motivation, and overall achievement.
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