Effect of Cooperative Learning Instructional Strategy on Senior Secondary School Students Achievement in Biology in Anambra State, Nigeria

The study examined the effect of cooperative learning instructional strategy on senior secondary school students' achievement in biology in Anambra State, Nigeria.The research design employed in this study was the quasi-experimental; specifically, pretest, post test, non equivalent control group design.A sample of one hundred and eleven (111) Senior Secondary one (SS1) students drawn from two coeducational secondary schools in Nnewi Education zone of Anambra State, Nigeria.Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study.An instrument known as BiologyAchievement Test (BAT) with a reliability coefficient of 0.79 was adopted and duly validated by experts.Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant.The results revealed that students taught using cooperative learning instructional strategy perform better in Biology Achievement Test than those taught using lecture method of instruction.There was no interaction between methods and gender on students Biology Achievement Test.Based on the result obtained, it was therefore recommended that teachers should be encouraged to use cooperative instructional strategy to teach biology and other sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects in secondary schools.