ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the perception of students on interaction patterns as predictors of biology achievement of senior secondary school students in Umuahia North Local Government Area. Seven research questions and seven null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The sample for the study consisted of 154 senior secondary class two students drawn through multistage sampling techniques from a population of 1542 senior secondary school students. Two instruments named Biology Concept Achievement Test and Students· Perception of Interaction Patterns as Predictors of Achievement Questionnaire (SIPPAQ) were developed and validated for the study. The internal consistency test of the items yielded reliability indices of 0.75 and 0.89 for BAT and SIPPAQ, respectively. The data ,collected for the study were analyzed using mean and simple percentages to answer the research questions. Pearson's r. (R 2 ) (coefficient of determination), ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance which revealed the following findings: Thirty five percent of the ulemis ha.lc-operatic dcsacts patter+a ah: ;'co+t cod 5, perccrt had comnpetitnye and iud dualistic interaction pan re ±espe,'·' \ esuits tu/ca that co-oprte tnhercketw pottern <'rss more than each!o! con e? 1{ rd.haliste interaction patterns among the students; a positive and significant , relationship exists between co-operative interaction pattern and achievement of students in ~ 1 : Biology and co-operative interaction pattern predicted 67 percent of the achievement of students: ,there is a positive and significant relationship between competitive interaction pattern and 'achievement of students in Biology and competitive interaction pattern predicted 64 percent of [ice achievement of students; a positive and significant relationship exists between individualistic l interaction pattern and achievement of students in Biology and individualistic interaction pattern ~ predicted 63 percent of the achievement of students; significant gender influence exists in the i relationship between co-operative, competitive and individualistic interaction patterns and {achievement of students in Biology since gender as a factor had 46, 48 and 50 percent influence 'on co-operative, competitive and individualistic interaction patterns, respectively as predictors of 1the achievement of students in Biology. It was thus recommended that the students should adopt co-operative interaction pattern with close monitoring from their teachers and parents.