Effect of Classroom Physical Environment and Teaching Methods on Learning Experiences of Secondary School Biology Students

Abstract

This study was designed to explore the effect of classroom physical environment and teaching methods on the learning experiences of secondary school biology students. The objectives of the study were to find out students' learning experiences regarding the physical environment of biology classrooms at the secondary level and to determine students' learning experiences about different teaching methods used in biology classrooms at the secondary level. This study was descriptive and quantitative, in which a questionnaire was developed. The study population consisted of 5669 of the 10^th class with 3203 male students and 2466 female students of districts Bahawalpur (Tehsil Bwp) and Bahawalnagar (Tehsil Bwn) of Pakistan. The total sample was 800 students (400 males and 400 females). The samples were selected by using simple random sampling techniques. A questionnaire was self-developed and used as a tool for data collection, and every question was answered in the form of multiple responses. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-21). Crosstabs in the analysis were applied on every variable set compared with the gender, providing results in frequency and percentage of every response. Most respondents agreed that the proper sitting space is most suitable for their work in their biology classroom, and most agreed that the lecture method is most effective in learning biology. It was suggested that the learning of students in biology subject could be enhanced by providing a better classroom physical environment and using different teaching methods in teaching biology subjects at the secondary level.