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An assessment of the state of practical biology skills of undergraduate students in Ethiopian universities

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dc.contributor.advisor Atagana, H. I.
dc.contributor.author Getachew Fetahi Gobaw
dc.date.accessioned 2016-05-19T08:53:56Z
dc.date.available 2016-05-19T08:53:56Z
dc.date.issued 2016-04
dc.date.submitted 2016-05-19
dc.identifier.citation Getachew Fetahi Gobaw (2016) An assessment of the state of practical biology skills of undergraduate students in Ethiopian universities, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/20223> en
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10500/20223
dc.description.abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the undergraduate biology practical instructions and the level of competence of undergraduate biology students in practical laboratory skills in some Ethiopian universities using skill performance rubric and questionnaires. A sample of 208 third year students and 26 instructors and laboratory assistants from three universities were selected as sample of the study. Students reported that more than 84.2% of the laboratory activities are below the average number of laboratory activities recommended by the curriculum with no significant difference between universities. The laboratory skill performance test score was below the midpoint. None of the students could be able to estimate and determine fields of vision of a microscope. There is a significant and a positively linear relationship between the students’ grade point average (GPA) with identification of laboratory equipment, handling of microscope, setting of microscope, estimation of diameter of field of vision and measuring liquid. Laboratory skill performance test score is correlated with higher education entrance exam score but not with students’ high school laboratory back ground. There is no significant difference in instructor’s manipulative skills among universities (p ≥ 0.09) and instructors manipulative skills is neither correlated with qualification nor teaching experience (P≥0.056). The most common method of assessment instructors’ use in the laboratory is laboratory report and identification of specimen examination (46.4%) and written exam and identification of specimen examination (35.7%). The number of courses having laboratory manuals is as low as 14.3%, in the new university. Manipulating materials, measuring and using numbers, and pre lab activity were common activities, and were found in every manual and in every university. Moreover, the result also revealed that the manuals contain high percentage rate of basic science process skills (75.4%) as compared to the integrated science process skills (24.6%). Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed that students’ laboratory performance skills is significantly positively correlated with higher education entrance exam score, availability of laboratory resources and instructors experiences. Instructors’ experience has significant positive regression weights. en
dc.format.extent 1 online resource (ix, 125 leaves) ; tables, graphs
dc.language.iso en en
dc.subject Biology laboratory performance skill en
dc.subject Laboratory manuals en
dc.subject Level of competence en
dc.subject Performance test en
dc.subject Science process skills en
dc.subject Undergraduate biology en
dc.subject.ddc 570.78
dc.subject.lcsh Biology -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Ethiopia
dc.subject.lcsh Biology -- Ethiopia
dc.title An assessment of the state of practical biology skills of undergraduate students in Ethiopian universities en
dc.type Thesis en
dc.description.department Life and Consumer Sciences en
dc.description.degree D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)


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