Effects of Science-Text-Cards and Crossword Puzzle Instructional Materials On Academic Performance in Biology among Secondary School Students in Oron LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of Science Text Cards and Crossword Puzzle Instructional Material on Biology Students’ Academic Performance in Oron Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.. To achieve the purpose of the study, three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Quasi experimental research design was adopted and the study was conducted in Oron Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The Population of the study consisted of all the 1423 Senior Secondary Three (SSIII) Biology students in the six public secondary schools in Oron Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria during the 2024/2025 academic session. The sample size for the study was One Hundred and Fifty (150) Senior Secondary Three (SS3) Biology students selected from their intact classes. Criterion and simple random sampling technique was used for the selection of schools for the study. Biology Performance Test (BPT) was used as instrument for data collection. The instruments was duly validated and subjected to reliability analysis using Kuder Richardson 20 (K-R20). The result showed a reliability coefficient of 0.85 and was deemed appropriate for the main study. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while analysis of covariance was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. Result findings of the analyses, showed that there was a significant difference in students’ academic performance when taught the concept of genetics based on science text cards, and crossword puzzles as students in the experimental groups performed better than their control group counterparts in Biology and that male and female students in the experimental groups achieved better than their counterparts in the control groups. it  was concluded that students exposed to science text cards performed better than those exposed to crossword puzzle followed by the expository group. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among other, that Government should support policies that promote innovative teaching approach, including the use of interactive and visual instructional materials in science education. This can help improve overall educational quality in Biology.