ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine the effects of the use of Internet on teachers’ instructional effectiveness, students’ achievement, retention and interest in ecology. Ten research questions and ten hypotheses guided the study.The study was in two parts, one with teachers and the other with students. Single case experimental design was used for the first part involving teachers. A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design was used for the second part of the study involving students. Population of the study consisted of 2862 Biology teachers and 251755 SS11 Biology students in South-East, Nigeria. The study had one experimental group and one control group chosen from three sampled states. A sample of 12 Biology teachers, two from each school and 187 SS11 students drawn through multi-stage sampling were used for the study. Three instruments were used for the study, namely- Teachers’ Instructional Effectiveness Scale (TIES), Ecology Achievement Test (EAT), and Ecology Interest Scale (EIS). The instruments were face and content validated. The Cronbach alpha method was used to establish the internal consistency of the TIES and EIS which were found to be 0.90 and 0.88 respectively. The reliability stability and consistency of 0.84 and 0.90 were obtained for the EAT using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Kuder Richardson 20 respectively. Means and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions while the paired samples t-test was used to test hypothesis one. Hypotheses two to ten were tested using Analysis of Covariance at 0.05 level of significance. Result revealed that the use of Internet in teaching enhances teachers’ instructional effectiveness and students’ retention. However, the use of lecture method enhanced the academic achievementof Biology students more than the use of Internet. Also revealed was that there is no significant difference in the achievement, retention and interest mean scores of male and female students taught ecology using Internet. Also, the effect of Internet use and lecture method of instruction on students’ achievement, retention and interest in ecology is not gender dependent. The results have implications for teachers, students, curriculum planners, and the general public. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Biology teachers should use Internet teaching strategy on complimentary basis to lecture method for improved teachers’ instructional effectiveness, students’ achievement, retention and interest in ecology.