CONCEPT MAPPING AND VISUAL IMAGERY TECHNIQUES AS DETERMINANTS OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT AND PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BIOLOGY IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Concept mapping, Achievement in biology, Visual imagery technique, Biology achievement, Learning styles in biologyAbstract
This study used a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effects of concept mapping and visual imagery techniques on senior secondary school students' achievement and practical skills in Biology. It also explored gender and learning styles as moderating factors. The study involved six public high schools selected from three Senatorial Districts in Delta State, Nigeria, with intact senior secondary II biology classrooms. Randomization allocated the schools to three groups: concept mapping (46 students), visual imagery (38 students), and control (49 students). Data were collected using the Biology Achievement Test, the Students' Learning Style Questionnaire, and the Biology Practical Test. The intervention lasted six weeks, and analyses included covariance and post-hoc tests at a 0.05 significance level. Results showed that visual imagery techniques led to a significant improvement in academic performance, especially for female students and visual learners. The visual imagery group had the highest mean achievement score (16.70), followed by the concept mapping group (14.57) and the control group (9.47). Gender also influenced practical skills, with females scoring higher (23.47) than males (20.27). Learning styles affected achievement, with visual learners achieving the highest mean score (15.27), followed by tactile learners (14.32) and auditory learners (12.95). The findings suggest that integrating visual imagery and concept mapping techniques in the biology curriculum can improve student performance and skills, particularly for visual learners and female students
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