Assessing the Proficiency of Senior High School Biology Students in Biological Drawing Based on Sex and School Type in Sekyere South District.

Abstract

Evidences from Chief Examiners Report showed that students are performing poorly in WASSCE Biology Examinations over the years. Among the reasons adduced was students' poor knowledge in biological drawings. This study therefore investigated the proficiency in biological drawing exhibited by Senior High School students based on students’ gender and school type in Sekyere South District of Ghana. Mixed method was the research approach adopted for the study, and thus, quantitative and qualitative tools were used in analyzing data generated from the respondents. The sample for the study comprised of one hundred and fifty (150) students drawn from the population of all SHS2 students offering Biology in Sekyere South Senior High Schools. Five public schools were selected using purposive sampling technique from which the one hundred and fifty (150) students were drawn. The instruments for data collection in this study was Biological Drawing Achievement Test (BDAT) and Interview Schedule (IS) for students and teachers. Prominent among the findings were that majority of the students performed poorly on the rubrics of biological drawing; there were no significant difference in the knowledge of biological drawings possessed by students based on gender; and no significant difference existed in the knowledge of biological drawings possessed by students based on their school type. The study concluded that Senior High School students were unable to present biological drawings correctly due to inadequate knowledge possessed on biological drawings as aresult of inadequate practical exposure. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Biology teachers at SHSs should organize practical lessons frequently for students to acquire and master the basic skills in biological drawings, to prepare them towards the ideas and objectives of Biology.