i ATTITUDE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TOWARDS LABORATORY WORK IN BIOLOGY IN SOKOTO METROPOLIS, SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

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This study is an in-depth research on attitude of students towards laboratory work in biology in senior secondary schools in Sokoto Metropolis of Sokoto State. Two (2) research question and One (1) hypotheses guided the study. The research adopted a descriptive survey research design in answering the research question. Three (3) Secondary schools and One hundred and twenty (120) SSII students were randomly selected for the study.They were selected by conducive sampling techniques.The study adapted a 30-item Questionnaire on a 5-point likert scale to measure students’ attitudes toward biology laboratory work. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.73 was used. Data were collected and analyzed using frequency tables, mean and standard deviation. Overall results of the study revealed that the mean score of students was 102.16. Findings from the study therefore indicated that the students have positive attitude towards laboratory work in biology. Findings also revealed that males and females seemed not to demonstrate the same pattern of attitude towards biology laboratory work. However, the difference between their attitude to biology laboratory work appeared to be slight. Using independent sample t-test and two tail direction, the study found no significant difference in male and female students' attitude to laboratory work in biology. It was recommended that teachers should provide students the opportunity to engage in frequent laboratory works relevant to the condition and topics(at least once a week). This will make students to develop positive attitudes toward laboratory work and enhance their skills and achievement in biology and in ix science, even beyond secondary school. School Administrators should take the lead to emphasize the essential role of laboratory work in teaching and learning biology. This will require schools to procure and provide laboratory resources to enhance teaching and learning in biology lessons. This will ensure a hitch free utilization of the available science laboratory equipment in teaching and learning of biology.