Probing Experiential Learning Approach Effect on Critical Thinking Ability of Secondary School Students' in Biology

Authors

  • Izunna Nwuba Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
  • Abigail Mgboyibo OSUAFOR Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
  • Sussan Onyebuchi EGWU Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
  • Maxwell Chukwunazo OBIKEZIE Department of Science Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33830/ijrse.v6i1.1659

Keywords:

Experiential Learning Approach, Critical Thinking Ability, Biology, Gender

Abstract

  1. The study explored effect of Experiential Learning Approach (ELA) on secondary school students’ CTA in biology. The study is quasi-experimental, adopting the non-randomized control group design. 4755 senior secondary year 2 (SS2) students constituted the population. Multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to compose the sample size of 53 SS2 students. The sampled students who were in two intact classes were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Adapted Watson-Glaser Critical thinking appraisal (WGCTA) validated by experts with a reliability coefficient of 0.71 was used for data collection. Mean and SD were used in answering the research questions and ANCOVA to test the null hypotheses. Findings revealed that ELA enhanced students’ CTA in biology, irrespective of gender, more than CLM. As a result, the study concluded that ELA is a gender-inclusive strategy that improves students' CTA and then recommended that biology teachers should adopt ELA in classrooms to improve students’ CTA.

References

Andresen, L., Boud, D., & Cohen, R. (2020). Experience-based Learning. In Understanding Adult Education and Training, (225- 239).

Asuai, N. C. (2013). Impact of critical thinking on performance in mathematics among senior secondary school students in Lagos state. Journal of Research & Method in Education, 3(5), 18-25.

Beard, C., & Wilson, J. (2018). Experiential Learning: A Practical Guide for Training, Coaching and Education. Kogan Page Publishers.

Bustami, Y., Syafruddin, D., & Afriani, R. (2018). The implementation of contextual learning to enhance biology students’ critical thinking skills in Sintang, Indonesia. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 7(4), 451-457.

Chiketa, E. C., & Okigbo, E.C. (2021). Relationship between critical thinking ability and mathematics achievement of secondary school students in Anambra State. Southeastern Journal of Research and Sustainable development, 4(2), 129-139

Dianita, B. (2023). Problem based learning model with experiential learning to increase creative thinking and critical thinking ability. Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengembangan Pendidikan, 7(2), 328-335. E-ISSN: 2615-4498. https://doi.org/10.23887/jppp.v7i2.62254

Duran, N. (2016). The effects of inquiry-based approach on students’ critical thinking skills in chemistry. Eurasia journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 12(12), 2887-2908.

Fajrianthy, H.W., & Septarini, B.G. (2016). Developing critical thinking test utilizing item response theory. Jurnal Penelitian dan Evaluasi Pendidikan, 20 (1), 45-55.

Gisoi, J.M., Njagi, M. W., & Mungiria, J. N. (2023). Effectiveness of experiential learning approach on students’ academic achievement in biology in secondary schools in Maara Subcounty, Kenya. International Journal of Novel Research and Development, 8(9), 324-331.

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as a Source of Learning and Development. Eaglewood and Cliffs N. J USA: Prentice Hall

Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. (2017). Experiential Learning Theory as a Guide for Experiential Educators in Higher Education. Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education, 1(1), 7-44.

Kurniahtunnisa, Anggraito, Y.U., Ridlo, S., & Harahap, F. (2023). STEM-PjBL learning: the impacts on students’ critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 1(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.29303/jjppipa.v1i1.264

Lee, J. (2015). ’Oh, I just had it in my head’: Promoting mathematical communications in early childhood”. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 16(3), 284-287.

Mahanal. S., Tendrita, M., Ramadhan, F., Ismirawati, N., & Zubaidah, S. (2017). The analysis of students’ critical thinking skills on biology subject. Anatolian Journal of Instruction, 2 (2), 21-39.

Moafian, F., & Ganizadeh, A. (2011). A correlational analysis of ELF university students’ critical thinking and self-efficacy. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills, 3(1), 120-149.

Morris, T. (2020). Experiential Learning–a Systematic Review and Revision of Kolb’s Model. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(8), 1064-1077.

Nwoye, A.N., Okeke, S.O.C., & Nwosu, F.C. (2020). Gender and academic retention of secondary school students’ taught electrostatics with computer animated instructional package in Awka education Zone. UNIZIK Journal of STM Education, 3(2), 41-50.

Nwuba, I. S., & Osuafor, A. M. (2021). Effect of experiential learning approach on secondary school students’ academic achievement in biology in Awka Education Zone. South Eastern Journal of Research and Sustainable Development, 4(2), 1–15. https://sejrsd.org.ng/index.php/SEJRSD/article/view/147

Nwuba, I. S., Egwu, S. O., Awosika, F. O., & Osuafor, A. M. (2022a). Secondary school students’ critical thinking ability as correlate of their academic achievement in biology in Awka Education Zone, Nigeria. Human Nature Journal of Social Sciences, 3(4), 201– 210. http://hnpublisher.com/ojs/index.php/HNJSS/article/view/74

Nwuba, I.S., Osuafor, A.M., Egwu, O.S., & Awosika, O.F. (2022b). Promoting Senior High School Students’ Acquisition of Science Process Skills in Biology Using Experiential Learning Approach in Anambra State, Nigeria. Asian J. Interdicip. Res, 5(4), 24-33.

Nwuba, I. S., Egwu, O. S., Awosika, O. F., & Osuafor, A. M. (2023). Examining of crossover instructional strategy toward biology students’ academic performance in secondary schools. Inornatus: Biology Education Journal, 3 (2), 50-59. DOI: 10.30862/inornatus.v3i2.420

Obikezie, M. C., Nwuba, I. S., & Ibe, F. N. (2023). Influence of school location and gender on generative learning model on secondary school students' academic achievement in chemistry. Eureka: Journal of Educational Research, 2(1), 51-59. https://doi.org/10.56773/ejer.v2i1.16

Okuakaji, M., & Sukolatambaya, (2020) Effect of experiential learning strategy on biology students’ academic achievement in Dutsin-MA Local Government Area of Katsina State in Nigeria. AL-hikmah Journal of Education, 7(10) 20-25.

Owolabi, O., Babatunde, A. E., & Gambari, A. I. (2019). Effects of computer animation instructional package on secondary school students’ achievement in biology in Niger State, Nigeria. Journal of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Education, 15(1), 240–246.

Samuel, N. N. C. (2017). Effect of computer animation and activity-based inquiry learning strategy on chemistry students’ critical thinking and achievement in Otuocha Education Zone. Unizik Journal of STM Education, 2(1), 51-65.

Scogin, S. C., Kruger, C. J., Jekkals, R. E., & Steinfeldt, C. (2017). Learning by experience in a standardized testing culture: investigation of a middle school experiential learning program. Journal of Experiential Education, 40(1), 39–57.

Slameto, (2014). Developing critical thinking skills through school teacher training “training and development personnel” model and their determinants of success. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 4(2), 161-166.

Watson, G. and Glasser, E.M. (1980). Manual: The Watson Glasser critical thinking appraisal. New York: Harcourt Brace

Downloads

Published

2024-05-05

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2024): May Issue

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Izunna Nwuba

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Content Licensing, Copyright, and Permissions

1. License
International Journal of Research in STEM Education (IJRSE) adopts the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) as the optimal license for the publication, distribution, use, and reuse of scholarly works for non-commercial purposes.
The non-commercial use of the article will be governed by this license, which allows others to share and adapt the work provided proper attribution is given to the author(s) and the journal.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC 4.0

2. Author's Warranties
The author warrants that the article is original, written by the stated author(s), has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright vested exclusively in the author, is free of any third-party rights, and that all necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author(s).


3. User Rights
The International Journal of Research in STEM Education aims to disseminate published articles as freely as possible. Under the Creative Commons license, users are permitted to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work for non-commercial purposes only, provided that proper attribution is given to the author(s) and this journal.

4. Rights of Authors

Authors retain the following rights:

  • Copyright and proprietary rights related to the article, such as patent rights.
  • The right to use the substance of the article in future works (e.g., lectures, books).
  • The right to reproduce the article for personal purposes.
  • The right to self-archive the article.
  • The right to enter into separate, additional non-exclusive contractual arrangements for the distribution of the article’s published version (e.g., posting to an institutional repository or publishing it in a book), with acknowledgment of its initial publication in IJRSE.

If the author has a non-exclusive publishing contract with another publisher under a more restrictive license, the author still retains all rights to republish or distribute the work elsewhere, including commercially, as the author is not bound by the license conditions imposed on the journal.

5. Co-Authorship
If the article has multiple authors, the signatory of this agreement warrants that he/she has been authorized by all co-authors to sign this agreement on their behalf and agrees to inform all co-authors of the terms of this agreement.

6. Termination

This agreement may be terminated by either the author or IJRSE with two months’ notice if the other party has materially breached this agreement and failed to remedy such breach within one month after receiving written notice.
No breach or violation of this agreement will cause automatic termination or affect the license granted to IJRSE.


7. Royalties
This agreement entitles the author to no royalties or other fees. To the extent legally permissible, the author waives the right to collect royalties in respect of any use of the article by IJRSE or its sublicensees.

8. Miscellaneous
IJRSE will publish the article (or have it published) once the editorial process has been successfully completed.
The journal reserves the right to edit the article for style, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, referencing, and consistency as deemed appropriate.
The author acknowledges that the article will be made publicly accessible, and such access will be free of charge for readers.