Publication Details
Abstract
This study examines the effects of peer-tutoring method of teaching on academic achievement in Biology among Senior Secondary School II (SS II) students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The study employed a quasi-experimental research design, the pretest–posttest non-equivalent control group design. The population comprised 85,814 SS II Biology students in public secondary schools within the FCT Abuja, from which a sample of 110 students was drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique. The sample consisted of 53 students in the experimental group and 57 students in the control group. Data were collected using Biology Achievement Test (BAT) comprising 40 multiple-choice items. The instrument was validated by experts in science education and measurement, and its reliability was established using the Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20), which yielded a coefficient of 0.81. Data collection involved the administration of the BAT as both pretest and posttest to the two groups before and after the instructional treatment. The experimental group was taught using the peer tutoring instructional strategy, while the control group was taught using the conventional teaching method. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance, with pretest scores serving as covariates. The findings of the study revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean academic achievement scores of students taught Biology using peer tutoring and those taught using the conventional teaching method, in favour of the peer tutoring group. The study concluded that peer tutoring is an effective instructional strategy for improving students’ academic achievement in Biology. Based on this finding, it was recommended that Biology teachers should adopt peer tutoring as a learner-centered instructional approach to enhance students’ academic performance in secondary schools.