Effects of Punnett Square and Beads Teaching Resources on Students’ Retention in Mendelian Genetics in Secondary Schools in Uyo, Nigeria

This study investigated the effectiveness of Punnett square and Beads teaching resources on students’ retention in Mendelian genetics in Uyo Local Government Area. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the study. Quassi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 2,274 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) Biology students in all the fourteen coeducational secondary schools in Uyo. 192 SS2 Biology students from four co-educational secondary schools in the study area selected using purposive sampling technique formed the sample size. Mendelian Genetics Retention Test with a reliability index of 0.92 determined using kuder Richardson’s formular- 21 was the instrument for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Analysis of Covariance and Regression. The result showed that the mean retention score of students taught Mendelian genetics using beads was significantly higher than those taught using Punnett square. Also, there was no significant influence of gender on the students’ retention. With respect to interaction effects of treatment and gender on students’ retention, the findings showed no statistically significant effects. However, the joint effects of treatment and gender on students’ retention was statistically significant, accounting for 83.00 percent of the observed variation in students’ retention. It was recommended among others, that Biology teachers should make use of Beads in teaching the concept.