Effect of Laboratory Approach on Secondary School Students Interest and Achievement in Biology in Obudu Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the effect of laboratory approach on Secondary School Students interest and achievement in Biology in Obudu Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria. In all, two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study while the purposive and random sampling techniques were used in selecting 300 Senior Secondary II Biology students. Two instruments were used for data collection. They are Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and Biology Interest Inventory (BII). Two experts in Measurement and Evaluation and one expert in Science Education, all of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University validated the instruments. The reliability test of the Biology Interest Inventory yielded a Cronbach Alpha Coefficient of 0.84 while the Biology Achievement Test yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.79. The descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while the ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study found out that interest was significant in favour of the experimental group and achievement was significant in favour of the experimental group. The study therefore concluded that educators should consider integrating laboratory experiences into Biology curricula to promote sustained learning and deeper understanding among students. Based on the findings, the study recommended that educators should prioritize incorporating hands-on laboratory activities into Biology instruction. Curriculum developers and educational policymakers should implement ongoing evaluation and feedback mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of instructional practices, including laboratory approaches strategies accordingly to enhance overall learning outcomes in Biology education at the senior secondary school level and teachers should leverage technology, such as virtual simulations and digital resources, to complement hands-on laboratory activities and enhance students engagement and understanding of biological concepts.