The jigsaw model is a dynamic cooperative learning approach where students become experts on different segments of the material and teach their peers, thereby enhancing engagement accountability, team work, and ultimately improving academic achievement. This study investigated the effectiveness of a cooperative learning strategy on secondary…

A comparison of student performance in an introductory biology class that used a lecture-based approach (N = 15 classes; 462 students) with those that had a no-lecture approach (N = 9 classes; 238 students). All classes were taught by the principal researcher. In the no- lecture environment, shifts in student perceptions of science were…

Biology teachers received professional development to effect instructional changes that ensure student cognitive engagement and knowledge acquisition at higher cognitive levels. We asked the following questions: 1) What are the initial needs of teachers to promote active learner engagement and knowledge acquisition at higher cognitive levels? 2)…

Active learning is the new standard for teaching in higher education. As more faculty seek to expand their teaching practices by including active-learning activities that promote higher levels of learning, many are doing so in small doses by temporarily postponing traditional lectures in favor of group activities. While there is evidence…

Student engagement in a science classroom is challenging and most students perceive science courses as difficult. Gamification is an emerging strategy used by educators across various disciplines to increase student engagement and promote active learning. One known gamification technique is team Jeopardy, however, there is a gap in knowledge about…

Analogies are bridges between prior knowledge and new knowledge to make meaning of the new one. Analogies are particularly effective in teaching science concepts that are not very apparent in the students' everyday lives due to their abstract nature. For this reason, it is essential to adapt analogies to teach new concepts effectively in science…

The area of interest considered for the study was the overall academic achievement in biology lecture and laboratory courses using Bloom's Taxonomy. The problem of the study is the lack of higher-order thinking skills leading to a learning gap in many universities and colleges. The purpose of the quantitative correlational study was to determine…

Academic performance of students is global issue of great concern to educators. This study sought to ascertain the effect of STEM problem-based learning as an inquiry approach on secondary school student's performance in Biology at government-owned secondary schools in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The non-equivalent control group design was adopted. Two…

This study addressed the following research questions: 1) What is the effect of differentiated gamified instruction on the cognitive engagement of ninth grade students in the unit of plant and animal systems? 2) What is the effect of differentiated gamified instruction on the behavioral engagement of ninth grade biology students in the unit of…

Many technological applications (apps) purport to help children learn academic material. Building on research in developmental and educational psychology, we developed and tested an app to teach biological and physical science content to preschool children. There were 21 children in the control condition (M[subscript age] = 50.30 months, SD =…

This study investigated the role of interactivity on the protégé effect, and explored how biology teachers can utilize it in their classrooms to reduce rote learning and facilitate long-term retention. This investigation utilized the generative learning theory, and adopted a non-equivalent quasi- experimental research design involving 60 students.…

Biology is an essential and compulsory subject offered at all senior high schools in Ghana. However, the level of students' attitude towards biology has been seen to be a result of the use of less motivating teachers' instructional strategies. This research study examined the effect of concept mapping and cooperative learning strategies on…

The study examined the effectiveness of concept mapping in improving students' academic performance using an embedded mixed-methods design. It involved Srinka Secondary School's grade 10 biology teacher, students, and department head in the study and gathered data from them by using biology achievement tests, interviews, and focus group…

This study focused on the influence of instructional 3D Model Biological Systems (MBS) in understanding cell diversity. It determined the academic performance of the students according to content knowledge, quality of the artwork, and communication skills; and determined what group of learners benefited most from using 3D instructional models. It…

Digital game-based learning is a student-centered learning environment that influences learning success and learning motivation. Whereas, a poorly designed instructional game will impair learning. Through extensive knowledge construction and high engagement, collaborative concept mapping strategies have the potential to address above problems.…