Philippine E-Journals

LIFE-BASED NARRATIVES: EFFECTS ON CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN BIOLOGY AMONG FRESHMEN

Ma. Kristine Grace T. Velasco

 

Abstract:

This study investigated the effect of life-based narratives (LBN) on the level of conceptual understanding in Biology of BSED college freshmen from two sections enrolled at Quirino State University. Both sections underwent the time series quasiexperimental design characterized by alternate application of the treatment: life-based narratives (LBN). For every LBN session, the students were taught with LBN as a teaching strategy. On the other hand, for every non-LBN session, the students were taught using lecture method. For every session, a pretest was administered to check the students’ prior knowledge of biological concepts specifically on integumentary, respiratory and circulatory systems while posttest was given at the end of each session. The questionnaires were composed of two parts - the profile of the respondents and Conceptual Understanding Test (CUT). Frequency counts and percentages were used to answer the descriptive research problems. The statistical tools that were used for further analysis of the data were t-test and ANOVA with Repeated Measures. The students have reached approaching proficient and proficient levels after having exposed to life-based narratives. Moreover, the highest mean gain percentages were obtained from the teaching sessions where LBN was used as a strategy. Furthermore, a significantly higher mean gain percentage was observed among students who were reinforced with LBN than those students taught on the same topic but was not reinforced with LBN. The findings revealed that the use of LBN as teaching strategy significantly improved the students’ level of conceptual understanding in biology.