Comparative Effects of Collaborative and Individualized Instructional Strategies on Performance in Biology among Undergraduate Students in Benue State University, Nigeria.

Abstract The study examined the effect of collaborative instructional strategy (CIS) and individualized instructional strategy (IIS) on students’ performance in biology education in Benue State University Makurdi, Nigeria. Quasi-experimental design was used for the study. Two research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study consisted of all the biology education students in Department of Science and Mathematics Education during the 2024/2025 Academic Session, Benue State University, Makurdi with 80 students as sample using Stratified random sampling technique. Biology Education Students Performance Test (BESPT) with 50 items constructed by the researcher which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.80 and validated by an expert in Science Education was used to collect data for the study. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while the independent sample t-test was used to test the research hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed among others that the students taught Biology Education using CIS have higher academic performance than those taught using IIS, The t-test of independent sample on the mean performance scores of students taught Biology Education courses using CIS and those taught using IIS recorded t-test value of 0.055 with a p-value of 0.02. This is less than 0.05 level of significance (p=0.02<0.05). Thus, the null hypothesis is rejected. Both the male and female students have higher academic performance when taught with CIS, The t-test of independent sample on the mean performance scores of male and female students taught Basic Science using CIS and those taught using IlS recorded t-test value of 0.055 with a p-value of 0.040. This is less than 0.05 level of significance (p=0.040<0.05). Thus, the null hypothesis is rejected. The study recommended among others that the National Universities Commission, Ministry of Education and all stake holders should ensure that University lecturers especially in biology education should vary their instructional strategies to include Collaborative Instructional Strategies. Keywords: Biology, Education, collaborative, individualized, instructional Strategies.