Title: When Biology Comes Alive: The Power Of Blended And Inquiry-Based Learning In Students' Achievement In Delta Central Senatorial District
Authors: ETIEYIBO
Prosper Akpovoghor
IRORITERAYE-ADJEKPOVU
Janice Imizuokena (Ph.D)
Volume: 10
Issue: 8
Pages: 40-45
Publication Date: 2026/08/28
Abstract:
This study investigated the effects of blended learning and inquiry-based teaching methods on students' achievement in Biology in Delta Central Senatorial District. A quasi-experimental design was employed for the study. The population consisted of 13,845 SS II Biology students, from which a sample of 251 students was drawn using multistage sampling. Data were obtained with a 50-item Biology Achievement Test (BAT), which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.83 based on the KR-21 method. The instructional treatment was implemented for six weeks, during which the students were exposed to blended learning, inquiry-based teaching and lecture method. Research questions were analysed using mean and standard deviation, whereas the hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using ANCOVA, Scheffé post-hoc analysis and independent-samples t-test. The findings indicated improvement in achievement across the three groups, with blended learning producing the greatest mean gain, followed by inquiry-based teaching, while lecture method yielded the least gain. The ANCOVA result indicated a significant difference in students' achievement across the three instructional methods. Further analysis using Scheffé post-hoc test established that students taught through blended learning achieved significantly higher scores than those taught through inquiry-based teaching and lecture method. Similarly, inquiry-based teaching resulted in significantly higher achievement than lecture method. However, no significant difference was observed between male and female students' achievement when either blended learning or inquiry-based teaching was used. The study concluded that blended learning and inquiry-based teaching were more effective than lecture method in enhancing students' achievement in Biology.