Effect of Instructional Simulation Strategy On Secondary School Students' Attitude Towards Biology in Ondo State, Nigeria

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Instructional Simulation (INS) strategy on secondary school students' attitudes towards Biology in Ondo State, Nigeria. It specifically assessed the differences in attitudinal mean scores between students exposed to instructional simulation and those using conventional teaching methods, analyzed gender-based variations among students employing instructional simulation, and evaluated differences in attitudinal mean scores between students in rural and urban schools utilizing instructional simulation. The study employed a pre-test, post-test, control group quasi-experimental design with two groups: an experimental group using instructional simulation and a control group using conventional methods. The population consisted of Senior Secondary School Two (SSS II) students offering Biology in public secondary schools in Ondo State. The sample included 151 SSS II students from six public schools, selected through a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using the Students' Attitude towards Biology Scale (SATBS). The results showed a significant difference in attitudinal mean scores between students exposed to instructional simulation and those using conventional methods, favouring the former. However, there was no significant difference in attitudinal mean scores between male and female students using instructional simulation, nor was there a significant difference in attitudinal mean scores between students in rural and urban schools using instructional simulation. In conclusion, the use of instructional simulation positively influenced students' attitudes toward Biology, irrespective of gender or location. This suggests the need for integrating instructional simulation into Biology curricula and providing professional development for educators to maximize its benefits. Additionally, simulation-based teaching methods can offer cost-effective and gender-neutral solutions to enhance students' learning experiences Keywords: Instructional Simulation, Attitude, Biology,