Basic Science Process Skills and Reasoning Ability as Predictors of Biology Student Teachers’ Academic Achievement in Federal Universities of North-East Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the predictive contributions of basic science process skills and reasoning ability to the academic achievement of biology student teachers in Federal Universities of North-East Nigeria. A correlational research design was adopted, involving 619 Part III biology student teachers. Data were collected using the Biology Students Basic Science Process Skills Questionnaire (BSBSPSQ), the Lawson Classroom Science Reasoning Ability Test (LCSRAT), and students’ cumulative grade point average (CGPA). The instruments recorded reliability coefficients of .877 and .867, respectively. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while multiple regression analysis tested the hypotheses at the .05 level of significance. The findings showed that the student teachers possessed high levels of basic science process skills (M = 3.73, SD = 1.18) and reasoning ability (M = 3.63, SD = 1.17). Basic science process skills had a strong relationship with academic achievement (R = .788) and accounted for 62.1% of the variation in achievement. Reasoning ability also predicted academic achievement (R = .614), accounting for 37.7% of the variation, with reflective thinking emerging as the only significant unique reasoning predictor (β = .602, p = .009). When considered jointly, basic science process skills and reasoning ability produced a strong multiple relationship with academic achievement (R = .802) and explained 64.3% of the variation in achievement; the combined model was statistically significant, F(9, 610) = 7.212, p < .001. The study concluded that both scientific process competencies and reasoning ability are important predictors of biology student teachers’ academic achievement. It therefore recommended that biology teacher education programmes deliberately integrate inquiry-based activities that develop science process skills alongside reflective and evidence-based reasoning.