| Abstract: | This study investigated the effect of cognitive style, instructional mode and sex on students' achievement in biology. A sample of 258 subjects were involved and the study used a Treatment (2) × Sex (2) × Cognitive style (3) Non-randomized Control Group Pre-test-Post-test Design. Data were collected with Biology Achievement Test (BAT), Aptitude Test and Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) and an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyse the data. The results show that subjects differed significantly in their post-test achievement scores on instructional mode and cognitive style factors. However, sex main effect was found not to be significant. It is interesting to note that the combined two-way interaction was significant. Of the three individual two-way interactions, instructional mode by sex, and instructional mode by cognitive style were significant. It is noteworthy that the three-way interactions were not significant. The results are discussed and their implications for effective biology instruction and consequently improved student achievement in biology especially in the Nigerian secondary schools are pointed out. |
