Comparative evaluation of three activity-based approaches for improving cognitive competence, knowledge retention, and sustained interest among secondary school Biology students

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ID: 309417
2025
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Abstract
This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of three activity-based teaching approaches Cooperative Learning Strategy (CLS), Flipped Learning Approach (FLA), and Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) in enhancing cognitive competence, knowledge retention, and sustaining students’ interest in secondary school biology. The motivation arose from persistent challenges in science education in Africa, where learners struggle to connect abstract concepts to real-life contexts, resulting in poor performance and declining interest. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was adopted, involving 142 Senior Secondary II students across three public schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test–delayed post-test design was used to collect quantitative data through the Biology Achievement Test for Cognitive Competence (BATCC), a 25-item multiple-choice instrument validated by experts with a reliability coefficient of 0.73. Semi-structured interviews, using tailored interview guides, were conducted to gather qualitative data on students’ perceptions of interest sustainability. Findings revealed that CTCA was the most effective in improving both cognitive competence and knowledge retention, with mean post-test and delayed post-test scores (M = 18.38 and M = 18.83) significantly higher than those of the FLA (M = 17.67; M = 15.67) and CLS (M = 14.25; M = 14.25) groups [F(2,139) = 15.06, p < .05; F(2,139) = 19.96, p < .05 respectively]. Qualitative results further indicated that students in the CTCA group reported greater engagement and sustained interest, attributing this to the cultural and contextual integration of lessons. The study concludes that while all three methods improved biology learning outcomes, CTCA demonstrated the strongest impact on achievement, retention, and interest. It is therefore recommended that biology teachers adopt culturally relevant and context-based strategies such as CTCA to make science learning more meaningful, engaging, and sustainable.
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Authors Adekunle Ibrahim Oladejo
Journal Aminu Kano Academic Scholars Association Multidisciplinary Journal
Year 2025
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