Factors Associated With Teaching Practical Biology in Public Secondary Schools in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine some problems of teaching practical biology in secondary schools in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State. To guide the purpose of the study, three research questions were posed and three null hypotheses were formulated. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised all biology teachers in the thirty-five (35) secondary schools in the study area. The purposive sampling technique was used to sample all the 35 secondary schools 85 biology teachers whom were used as the respondents in the study. Data was collected using questionnaire tagged: "Some problems of teaching practical biology Questionnaire (SPTPBQ)". The questionnaire contained twenty (20) question items on a four point likert scale. The instrument was validated by the research supervisor and an expert in test and measurement. For the purpose reliability of the instrument, a test-retest was carried out. The reliability index obtained was 0.86, 0.71, 0.71, and 0.88. Data collected was analyzed using Pearson product moment correlation and the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant. The results from the analysis showed among others that, lack of laboratory equipment significantly relate with the teaching of practical biology and that teachers' attitude has a significant relationship with the teaching of practical biology. It was recommended among others that, School administrators and teachers should always do their best to provide the enabling laboratory environment for effective teaching and for the intellectual development of their students.