ABSTRACT

The study compared the effects of Actual and Virtual Laboratory Usage on Achievement and retention of Senior Science School Students in Biology in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Six (6) specific objectives, six (6) research questions, and six (6) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Non-equivalent control groups quasi experimental design was adopted for the study. The research population was five hundred and eighty three (583) SS1 Biology students; three hundred and thirty nine (339) males and two hundred and forty four (244) females in the five (5) senior Science Schools in Akwa Ibom State. The sample size of one hundred and fifty (150) students (eighty seven (87) males and sixty three (63) females was drawn for the study using Proportionate Stratified random sampling Technique. The researcher developed two instruments tagged ‘Biology achievement test (BAT)’ and ‘Biology Retention Test (BRT)’ in collecting data for the study. The instruments were subjected to face and content validity by two experts in the area of Biology Education, and one expert in the area of Measurement and Evaluation all in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The reliability coefficient of 0.82 and 0.74 were established using Spearman Brown Reliability Analysis. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation and the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings of the research revealed that there exists significant difference in the Mean Achievement and Retention Scores of students in Biology when taught with Actual Laboratory, Virtual Laboratory and when taught without any Laboratory exercise. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others, that teachers should make good effort in incorporating Actual Laboratory and or Virtual Laboratory in their pedagogical practices to develop themselves thereby promoting the academic growth of learners.