Effect of Learning Activity Package on Retention in Biology Concepts among Senior Secondary School Students in Otukpo, Benue State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026468Abstract
The study was designed and conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Learning Activity Package (LAP) in influencing students’ retention in Senior Secondary School Biology. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated. A Quasi-Experimental Pre-test, Post-test, Non-equivalent Control Group Design was adopted for the study. A sample of 317 SS II biology students, drawn by both purposive and simple random sampling techniques from four co-educational schools in Otukpo Educational Zone was used for the study. The four schools were assigned to experimental and control groups respectively. Two intact classes in each school – (one as experimental and the other one as control group) were randomly selected. The experimental and control groups were taught the biology topic (Unit of Life) by the regular biology teachers. Three instruments – Pre-BPT and Post-BPT were developed, duly validated and reliability of equivalence, internal consistency and stability duly established (0.79 and 0.83 respectively) before using them for data collection. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested at (P < 0.05) using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result of data analysis showed that: There is a significant difference between the experimental and control group, with the mean retention scores of the LAP group being significant more than the control group, but the male students’ retention test was significantly greater than those of their female counterpart. A major educational implication of the findings is that the use of LAP does not show any significant difference in the retention of male and female students. Thus the use of LAP will not only help arrest the problem of male being regarded as high achievers in science-related courses but will also encourage the female students to enroll in such courses among others.
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