The Effect of Experiential Learning Activities, Interest, and Motivation on Academic Performance of Students in Biology

Abstract

Biology is a core subject in Nigeria’s senior secondary curriculum, yet students consistently record low achievement, with credit pass rates in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) rarely exceeding 45% in recent years. This underperformance is largely attributed to lecture-dominated teaching, limited experiential learning opportunities, declining student interest, and weak motivation. While these factors have been studied individually, their combined influence remains underexplored. This study examined the effect of high-frequency experiential learning activities, interest, and motivation on Biology achievement among 120 SS2 students in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group design was adopted. Using multi-stage stratified random sampling, four public secondary schools (two urban, two rural) were selected, and intact classes were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 60) and control (n = 60) groups. The experimental group underwent a 10-week intervention involving three structured, inquiry-based practical sessions per week, whereas the control group followed the conventional low-exposure approach. Data were collected via the Biology Achievement Test (BAT), Interest in Biology Questionnaire (IBQ), and Motivation in Biology Scale (MBS) administered as pre-test and post-test. ANCOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses showed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group. Interest and motivation were significantly higher and correlated strongly with achievement. Together, the three factors explained 54% of variance in post-test scores, with experiential activities and motivation as the strongest predictors. The study recommends mandatory high-frequency, inquiry-based practical work and teacher training to improve Biology performance.