Effects of a Locally Constructed Brain Model on Academic Achievement and Retention of Senior Secondary School Biology Students in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The human brain is considered to be one of the most abstract concepts in senior secondary school biology, and in Nigeria there are no cost-effective 3D teaching models available in public secondary schools. This study determined if a locally. This experiment used a quasi-experimental design involving a pretest–posttest control group with delayed retention test. Two intact classes of Senior Secondary II biology in two public schools in Minna were randomly assigned to groups (N = 256; experimental n = 119, control n = 137). Experimental group was taught using locally constructed brain model while the control group was taught through conventional method. Data was collected using 30-item Locally Constructed Brain Model Achievement Test (LCBMAT; r = 0.86) and analyzed using means, standard deviation and one-way ANOVA at p < 0.05. The groups were found to be equivalent at pretest (F (1, 254) = 0.66, p = .417). Posttest results showed that the experimental group had higher mean score (M = 17.80, SD = 5.55) compared to control group (M = 10.72, SD = 4.65), F(1, 254) = 123.31, p < .001, η² = 0.33, d = 1.39. The retention scores of the experimental group (14.03 vs 10.42), F(1, 254) = 47.56, p < .001, η² = 0.16, d = 0.86, though showed high score than the control group, the group lost more posttest score than the control group during the retention period. In the experimental group there were no sex differences in achievement (p = .075) and retention (p = .629). A locally constructed brain model was more effective than conventional method in terms of achievement and retention, and it benefited both males and females equally.