INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGIES FOR TEACHING BIOLOGY IN A PERIOD OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

1.The consistent poor achievement of students in Biology has continued to generate reactions from both the government and stakeholders in education sector. Against this background, several efforts have been made to find solutions to the problem. It is on this note that this study investigated innovative pedagogies for teaching Biology in a period of economic uncertainty in Enugu East L. G. A. Enugu State, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for this study. The total of 213 Biology teachers in the 10 public secondary schools in Enugu East L.G.A. made up the population of the study. There was no sampling because the population was manageable. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire adapted by the researcher titled Innovative pedagogies for teaching Biology (IPFTB). It consists of Sections A and B. Section A consist the demographic information about the respondent while section B consist 20 items of innovative pedagogies used in teaching Biology. The respondents were requested to indicate by responding either ‘’yes’’ or ‘’no’’ from the listed pedagogies the ones they use in teaching Biology. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability coefficient was determined to be 0.82 using Cronbach alpha formula. The data generated were analysed using percentages. After the data analysis, the following findings among others were made: that experienced educators demonstrated a greater willingness to experiment with innovative teaching approaches, drawing upon their accumulated knowledge and expertise to adapt these methods to their instructional contexts. This is shown in the higher percentage scores in almost all the innovative pedagogies assessed. Secondly, teachers with higher qualifications, such as advanced degrees or specialized training in education, have higher percentages in employing most of the innovative pedagogies in their biology instruction. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended among others that, Innovative Pedagogical approaches should be incorporated into biology instruction by educators. This is to create dynamic learning experiences that inspire curiosity, deepen understanding and prepare students for success in the field of biology and beyond.

Innovative, Innovative pedagogies, teaching, Biology and economic uncertainty.,

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