Effects of Punnett Square and Beads Teaching Resources on Students’ Retention in Mendelian Genetics in Secondary Schools in Uyo, Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated the effectiveness of Punnett square and Beads teaching resources on students’ retention in Mendelian genetics in Uyo Local Government Area. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the study. Quassi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 2,274 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) Biology students in all the fourteen coeducational secondary schools in Uyo. 192 SS2 Biology students from four co-educational secondary schools in the study area selected using purposive sampling technique formed the sample size. Mendelian Genetics Retention Test with a reliability index of 0.92 determined using kuder Richardson’s formular- 21 was the instrument for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Analysis of Covariance and Regression. The result showed that the mean retention score of students taught Mendelian genetics using beads was significantly higher than those taught using Punnett square. Also, there was no significant influence of gender on the students’ retention. With respect to interaction effects of treatment and gender on students’ retention, the findings showed no statistically significant effects. However, the joint effects of treatment and gender on students’ retention was statistically significant, accounting for 83.00 percent of the observed variation in students’ retention. It was recommended among others, that Biology teachers should make use of Beads in teaching the concept.
Keywords: Gender, Instructional resources, Punnett square, Retention, beads, mendelian genetics
Effect of Globe Game on Students Achievement and Retention in Longitude and Latitude (Published)
This study was designed to determine the effect of globe game on students’ achievement and retention in longitude and latitude. To carry out the study, three research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated. Design for the study was a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group’s pre-test and post-test design. The sample for this study comprised of Two hundred and eighty four S S11 students. Six secondary schools were drawn through a stratified random sampling technique. Three schools (one male, one female and one co-educational) were assigned to the treatment group while the remaining three schools were assigned to the control group. The treatment group was taught longitude and latitude using the globe game approach while the control group was taught longitude and latitude using the conventional method. Longitude and Latitude Achievement Test was used to collect data on the achievement and retention of students. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while hypotheses were tested using the Analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) at an alpha level of 0.05. The result revealed that globe game approach is superior to the conventional method in facilitating achievement and retention in longitude and latitude, but there was no significant interaction between gender and instructional method on students’ achievement and retention in longitude and latitude. The researcher therefore, recommended that globe game approach should be used in secondary school system.
Keywords: Retention, globe game, latitude, longitude
Rural Senior High School Teachers Motivation and its Effect on Their Retention (Published)
This paper presents both qualitative and quantitative studies on the motivation for teachers teaching in Senior High School located in rural areas and its effects on their willingness to continue staying in those areas in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Two public Senior High Schools in the rural areas of Afigya-Kwabre West district comprising two Headmasters and 120 teachers was selected by the use of purposive and simple random sampling techniques for the study. The study focused on primary data through interview, questionnaire and observation. It was revealed that the significant retention factors are the provision and administration of financial bonuses which include retention/professional allowance and Parents and Teachers Association motivational allowance. On the other hand, the teachers were very unsatisfied with their accommodation, means of transport and criteria for selecting award winners during speech and prize giving days. Therefore, governments and policy makers need to put in place strategies and also implement policies that will serve to improve the working conditions of teachers teaching in rural areas in order to serve as motivation for their retention.
Keywords: Administration, Motivation, Retention, Rural Area, Teacher Motivation