INTERACTION EFFECT OF JIGSAW IV COOPERATIVE LEARNING, GUIDED INQUIRY AND PEER TUTORING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND GENDER ON BIOLOGY STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN POST BASIC SCHOOLS IN ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the interaction effect of Jigsaw IV cooperative learning, guided inquiry and peer tutoring instructional strategies and gender on Biology students' academic achievement and retention in post basic schools in Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions and two null hypotheses. The study adopted a quasi-experimental non-equivalent and non-randomized comparative design. The population comprised 49,253 SS II students offering Biology in post basic schools across all education zones of Adamawa State. A sample of 149 Biology students from three intact classes in three different post basic schools in Yola education zone was selected using multistage sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was the Biology Achievement Test (BAT), which contained 50 multiple-choice items adapted from WAEC past questions (2013–2023). The instrument was validated by three experts and its reliability was established using Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (KR-20), which yielded a coefficient of 0.83. The treatment lasted for seven weeks. Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there was no significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on mean achievement scores of students, F(2, 146) = 2.464, p > 0.05, and there was no significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on mean retention scores of students, F(2, 146) = 2.267, p > 0.05. The study concluded that Jigsaw IV cooperative learning, guided inquiry and peer tutoring instructional strategies are gender-friendly and can be effectively used to teach male and female Biology students without gender-based differential outcomes. It was recommended that biology teachers should adopt these student-centred instructional strategies, and school administrators should organise seminars and workshops to train teachers on their effective implementation.