Effect of Content-Focused Coaching on Academic Performance and Retention in Identified Difficult Biology Topics amongst Senior Secondary School Students

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of Content-Focused Coaching (CFC) on academic performance and retention in difficult biology topics among Senior Secondary School students in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 1005 students (480 males, 525 females) and 48 teachers from 166 public schools. The Biology Performance Test, with a reliability coefficient of 0.77, was used for data collection. Teacher participants were exposed to CFC for seven weeks, focusing on six identified perceived difficult biology topics. Data collected were analysed using ANCOVA at a 0.05 significance level. Results showed significant differences in performance (F(3, 966)=111.394, p<0.05) and retention (F(3, 966)=164.035, p<0.05) among students taught by teachers with Pedagogical Content Knowledge and those taught by Biological Content Knowledge-only who were exposed to CFC. Gender differences were observed, with CFC being effective for both genders. Whereas, students taught by teachers with Pedagogical Knowledge-only exposed to CFC did not significantly improved in performance and retention, and showed notable gender differences similar to those taught by teachers in the control group. The study recommended CFC for professional development of biology teachers.

Full text

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11
https://bergersci.com/index.php/ci/index
DOI: 10.61187/ci.v2i1.97
Effect of Content-Focused Coaching on Academic Performance
and Retention in Identified Difficult Biology Topics amongst
Senior Secondary School Students
Akilu Isma’il1,*, Suleiman Sa’adu Matazu2
1Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Federal University Gusau –Nigeria
2Department of Science and Vocational Education, Faculty of Education and Extension Services, Usmanu
Danfodiyo University, Sokoto –Nigeria.
*Correspondence: akilu@fugusau.edu.ng
Abstract: This study investigated the effect of Content-Focused Coaching (CFC) on academic
performance and retention in difficult biology topics among Senior Secondary School students in
Zamfara State, Nigeria. Quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. Multi-stage
sampling technique was employed to select 1005 students (480 males, 525 females) and 48 teachers
from 166 public schools. The Biology Performance Test, with a reliability coefficient of 0.77, was
used for data collection. Teacher participants were exposed to CFC for seven weeks, focusing on
six identified perceived difficult biology topics. Data collected were analysed using ANCOVA at a
0.05 significance level. Results showed significant differences in performance (F(3, 966)=111.394,
p<0.05) and retention (F(3, 966)=164.035, p<0.05) among students taught by teachers with
Pedagogical Content Knowledge and those taught by Biological Content Knowledge-only who
were exposed to CFC. Gender differences were observed, with CFC being effective for both
genders. Whereas, students taught by teachers with Pedagogical Knowledge-only exposed to CFC
did not significantly improved in performance and retention, and showed notable gender
differences similar to those taught by teachers in the control group. The study recommended CFC
for professional development of biology teachers.
Keywords: Content-focused coaching; Difficult biology topics; Academic performance; Retention,
Gender
1. Introduction
Although no longer a core subject in Nigerian secondary schools, biology as a
subject still attracts more non-science students. This may be due to the importance of the
subject and its relevance to modern society. However, according to Bichi et al. (2019)
and Oyovwi (2021), the performance of Nigerian secondary school students in the
subject has been unsatisfactory. This abysmal trend has attracted the attention of
scholars in the fields of biology education, in effort to improve it. Research findings
have attributed the prevailing poor performance to several factors. Prominent among
these factors are lack of qualify biology teachers (Bichi et al., 2019), ineffective teaching
methods (Chukwuemeka & Dorgu, 2019), inadequate teachers ’content knowledge
(Brunetti et al., 2023), nonchalant attitude towards biology (Ahmad et al., 2022), lack of
instructional materials (Matazu, 2022), gender disparity (Ahmad et al., 2022; Anoh &
Oyekanmi, 2021), overloaded curriculum content (Ezechi, 2019; Haruna, 2021) among
others.
However, research findings (e.g. Abdullahi, 2021; Anoh & Oyekanmi, 2021; Benitez,
2020; Brunetti et al., 2023; Haruna, 2021; Omoseebi, 2021; Wilmot, 2020) have shown that,
teachers' lack of Content Knowledge (CK) and Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) have a
greater effect on students ’learning outcomes than any other factors so far identified.
How to cite this paper: Isma’il, A., &
Matazu, S. S. Effect of
Content-Focused Coaching on
Academic Performance and
Retention in Identified Difficult
Biology Topics amongst Senior
Secondary School Students. 2024,
Curriculum & Innovation, 2(1), 1–
11. https://doi.org/10.61187/ci.v2i1.97
Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.
Submitted for possible open access
publication under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses
/by/4.0/).

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 2
This was recently corroborated by the findings of Hamunyela et al. (2022), which
revealed that, implementation of biology curriculum faced significant limitations
primarily due to teachers' challenges with PK and CK. This implies that biology teachers
who lack Biological Content Knowledge (BCK) and PK may find certain topics
challenging, leading them to perceive them as difficult. This can result in either
ineffective teaching of these topics or intentionally skip them.
Therefore, biology teachers' knowledge bases, encompassing both BCK and PK, are
vital in shaping the perception of difficulty of biology topics, which subsequently affects
students' performance and retention. Kyado et al. (2019) reported that inadequate
understanding of certain biology concepts contributes to student difficulties. Similarly,
Haruna (2021) found that the way abstract concepts are taught contributes to students'
perceived difficulty. This difficulty in understanding is echoed in the West African
Examinations Council (WAEC, 2021; 2022) Chief Examiners ’reports which identify
topics such as the nervous system, physiological features, and genetics as particularly
challenging for students. Previous research (e.g., Edeh & Martha, 2020; Ezechi, 2019;
Ozcan et al., 2014) have also found a correlation between students' perception of topic
difficulty and poor performance.
Academic performance in biology, which refers to students' knowledge, skills, and
understanding measured through tests, is undoubtedly strongly affected by biology
teachers' knowledge bases (BCK and PK). Similarly, retention, which relates to the
ability to recall or remember learned concepts or past experiences, is also affected by
these knowledge bases. Although biology is regarded as a gender neutral subject by
Njoku and Nwagbo (2020), the effect of gender on students’learning outcomes has been
inconsistent (Musonda, 2021). Consequently, gender has become a factor in students'
academic performance and retention in biology, necessitating further research to
establish consistent evidence on gender disparities in the subject.
According to Sodangi et al. (2022), insufficient teacher training and a lack of
professional development (PD) opportunities have compounded the persistent poor
academic performance in science subjects (biology inclusive) in Zamfara State.
According to the Zamfara State Secondary Education Assessment Committee [ZSSEAC]
(2014), science teachers in the state, including biology teachers, struggle to deliver the
curriculum effectively. This, coupled with the perceived difficulty of certain topics (Isma’
il & Matazu, 2024), contributes to poor students’learning outcomes in the state. Hence,
targeted PD interventions are necessary to tackle these issues.
In line with this, Ifamuyiwa (2022) recommended for more effective PD models for
practising teachers. They pointed out limitations of workshops or seminars, which often
lack appropriate epistemological frameworks and adhere to traditional designs.
Correspondingly, Collins (2021) identified coaching and mentoring as effective PD
approaches for improving CK and PK among in-service teachers. Coaching, particularly,
has gained prominence over mentoring due to its higher efficacy (Collins, 2021; Weitzel
& Blank, 2019). Cornett and Knight (2011) found that teachers who participated in
coaching were more likely to adopt new teaching strategies, resulting in improved
instructional practices and better student outcomes.
Content-Focused Coaching (CFC) is widely recognized as a promising model
among coaching PD approaches for its potential to influence both teachers' instructional
methods and student learning (Callard et al., 2020; Gibbons & Cobb, 2016). According to
West and Staub (2003), CFC aims to enhance student learning outcomes by enabling
teachers to improve their instructional practices within specific content areas. They
further stated that, CFC emphasizes lesson planning, implementation, and reflection to
meet curriculum demands. Unlike traditional PD, CFC uniquely focuses on
subject-specific content and pedagogical methods (West & Staub, 2003). The CFC was
originally developed for math and adapted for subjects like English literacy, and more
recently for re-training science teachers. It offers significant benefits over other PD

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 3
models. Drawing from this background, this study aims to investigate the effect of CFC
on academic performance and retention in identified difficult biology topics in Zamfara
State.
2. Statement of the Problem
Academic performance in biology among students in Zamfara State has
consistently been poor, with failure rates ranging from 55% to over 60% (Research and
Statistics Unit, Zamfara State 2023), posing a significant concern for the state's education
system. The difficulty in effectively teaching certain biology topics is evident (Isma’il &
Matazu, 2024). Six topics within SS 1- SS 2 curriculum were identified as difficult. These
are Nutrition in animals, Respiratory system, Pests and diseases of crops, Cell and its
environment, Functioning ecosystems, and Nutrient cycle in nature. The factors
contributing to these challenges are complex, with lack of qualified biology teachers
identified as a major issue exacerbated by the lack of PD opportunities. Existing studies
in the state prioritize teaching methodologies, but there is a gap in research addressing
the PD needs of biology teachers in terms of their BCK and PK. Furthermore, current PD
models such as workshops and seminars have shown limitations in effectively
improving teachers' CK and PK. Therefore, effective PD interventions targeting these
knowledge gaps are necessary to ultimately improve the students ’performance in
Zamfara State. To this end, the main objective of the study was to investigate the
effectiveness of CFC on students' academic performance and retention in challenging
biology topics in Zamfara State, Nigeria.
3. Null Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were formulated for the study;
H01: There is no significant difference in the academic performance in identified
difficult biology topics among SS 2 students in the E.G. 1, 2, 3, and the Control Group.
H02:There is no significant difference in the retention ability in identified difficult
biology topics among SS 2 students in the E.G. 1, 2, 3, and the Control Group.
H03: There is no significant difference in academic performance in identified
difficult biology topics between male and female SS 2 students across E.G. 1, 2, and 3.
H04: There is no significant difference in the retention ability of male and female SS
2 students in identified difficult biology topics across E.G. 1, 2, and 3.
4. Methodology
The study adopted quasi-experimental research design involving pre-test post-test
experimental – control group design. The population of the study comprised 27,375 SS
2 students and 209 biology teachers in 166 public senior secondary schools across
Zamfara State's four Educational Zones. The study employed a multi-stage sampling
technique by dividing the population into four clusters, each representing an
educational zone.
Three zones, Kaura Namoda, Gusau, and Talata Mafara, were selected. Then, 4
schools were selected per zone through random sampling, totalling 12. From each school,
2 intact classes were randomly selected. Through purposive sampling 16 teachers from
each zone were selected based on their knowledge bases (academic qualifications),
having a minimum of 5 years teaching experience. The categories are Teachers who
possessed Biological Content Knowledge-only (TBCK-only), Teachers who possessed
Pedagogical Knowledge-only (TPK-only) and Teachers who possessed Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPCK). The TBCK-only teachers possess biology content
knowledge but lack pedagogical skills. TPK-only teachers have pedagogical skills but
limited biology content knowledge. While TPCK teachers possess a balanced expertise
in both biology content and pedagogy.

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 4
An achievement test consisting of 60 multiple-choice items tagged “Biology
Performance Test (BPT)” was constructed by the researcher. The BPT measured SS 2
students’ academic performance and retention in six difficult biology topics from the SS
1 to SS 2 curriculum, as identified by Isma'il and Matazu (2024) in the study area. The
topics are Cell and its environment, Nutrition in animals, Functioning ecosystems,
Respiratory system, Nutrient cycle in nature, and Pests and diseases of crops. The BPT
was validated by three experts. Reliability was assessed using test-retest data from the
pilot study, with Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, yielding a coefficient
of 0.77.
The CFC intervention, was conducted in three phases; Pre-lesson Conference,
In-Class Experiences, and Post-Lesson Conference phases. Pre-Lesson Conference: At
the start of the CFC, one school per Educational Zone was selected as a Coaching Centre,
where the researcher, acting as coach, convened with teacher participants weekly for
seven weeks. Teacher participants were categorized into three groups based on their
qualifications and all were exposed to CFC. They were designated as TBCK-only
exposed to CFC (TBCK-CFC), TPK-only exposed to CFC (TPK-CFC), and TPCK exposed
to CFC (TPCK-CFC). These teachers were then assigned to teach student participants in
the corresponding E.G. 1, 2, and 3. At this stage also, the researcher enlisted three
Assistant Lecturers, experienced in teaching practice supervision, that assisted with
follow-up visits and data collection. In-Class Experiences: Collaborative teaching
between the researcher (coach) and teacher participants in the three groups, focusing on
the six challenging topics, was conducted at this stage. Three approaches were
employed: co-planning, the coach teaching, and co-teaching with teacher participants.
These sessions focused on improving content and pedagogical skills, adhering to the
teaching methodology and resource guidelines of the NERDC (2008) Biology
Curriculum. Post-Lesson Conference: At this stage, Follow-up Visits was conducted to
observe classroom implementation of coached lessons and providing feedback.
Collaborative Reflections followed, where the coach and teachers discussed strengths
and weaknesses observed.
The coaching duration spanned seven weeks. During these weeks, teacher
participants implemented learned strategies in their classrooms. A control group was
included to serve as a baseline for comparison, ensuring observed effects in the
experimental groups were due to the treatment. As ethical consideration, the researcher
obtained permission from the Zamfara State Ministry of Education to conduct the study.
Data collection involved pre-test, post-test and post-post-test (for retention) using the
BPT. Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) was used to test all the null hypotheses at 0.05
levels of significance. Bonferroni’s post-hoc test was conducted to identified the
experimental condition with significant differences.
5. Results
The results of the findings were presented based on the formulated hypotheses.
H01: There is no significant difference in the academic performance in identified
difficult biology topics among SS 2 students in the E.G. 1, 2, 3, and the Control Group.
Table 1. ANCOVA Result on Academic Performance among E.G. 1, 2, 3 and CG
Source
Type III Sum of Squares
df
Mean Square
F
Sig.
Corrected Model
60774.292a
4
15193.573
95.259
.000
Intercept
54208.405
1
54208.405
339.871
.000
Covariate (Pre-test)
8632.231
1
8632.231
54.122
.000
Treatment
53301.181
3
17767.060
111.394
.000
Error
154074.163
966
159.497
Total
773041.000
971

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 5
Corrected Total
214848.455
970
aR Squared = .283 (Adjusted R Squared = .280) *: Significant at p < 0.05
Source: Research Fieldwork (2023)
ANCOVA analysis in Table 1 revealed a significant difference in academic
performance among SS 2 students across E.G.s 1, 2, 3, and the Control Group (F(3, 966) =
111.394, p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of H01. Subsequently, Bonferroni’s post-hoc
test was conducted to identified the experimental condition with significantly higher
performance (see Table 2).
Table 2. Bonferroni Post-hoc Analysis on Academic Performance among the Groups
(I) Group
(J) Group
Mean
Difference (I-J)
Sig.b
95% Confidence Interval for Differenceb
Lower Bound
Upper Bound
E.G. 1
E.G. 2
8.902*
.000
5.856
11.949
E.G. 3
-7.263*
.000
-10.265
-4.261
Control Group
11.450*
.000
8.463
14.438
E.G. 2
E.G. 1
-8.902*
.000
-11.949
-5.856
E.G. 3
-16.165*
.000
-19.245
-13.086
Control Group
2.548
.169
-.515
5.611
E.G. 3
E.G. 1
7.263*
.000
4.261
10.265
E.G. 2
16.165*
.000
13.086
19.245
Control Group
18.714*
.000
15.693
21.734
Ctrl Group
E.G. 1
-11.450*
.000
-14.438
-8.463
E.G. 2
-2.548
.169
-5.611
.515
E.G. 3
-18.714*
.000
-21.734
-15.693
Keys: E.G. 1 = Students taught by TBCK-CFC, E.G. 2 = Students taught by TPK-CFC
E.G. 3 = Students taught by TPCK-CFC, Control Group = Students taught by TN-CFC.
Source: Researcher’s pair-wise comparison *: Significant at p < 0.05
The post-hoc analysis in Table 1b shows that E.G. 3 outperformed both E.G. 1
(Mdiff = 7.263, p<0.05) and E.G. 2 (Mdiff = 16.165, p<0.05). Additionally, E.G. 1 showed
superior performance compared to E.G. 2 (Mdiff = 8.902, p<0.05). Moreover, the Control
Group performed significantly lower than both E.G. 1 (Mdiff = -11.450, p<0.05) and E.G.
3 (Mdiff = -18.714, p<0.05).
H02: There is no significant difference in the retention ability in identified difficult
biology topics among SS 2 students in the E.G. 1, 2, 3 and the Control Group.
Table 3. ANCOVA Result on Retention Ability among the Groups
Source
Type III Sum of
Squares
df
Mean Square
F
Sig.
Corrected Model
59076.385a
4
14769.096
133.662
.000
Intercept
53383.012
1
53383.012
483.123
.000
Covariate (Post-test)
5608.266
1
5608.266
50.756
.000
Treatment
54375.433
3
18125.144
164.035
.000
Error
106738.775
966
110.496
Total
661736.000
971
Corrected Total
165815.160
970
a. R Squared = .356 (Adjusted R Squared = .354) *: Significant at p < 0.05
The ANCOVA analysis in Table 3 showed a significant difference in retention
ability among SS 2 students across E.G.s 1, 2, 3, and the Control Group (F(3, 966) =
164.035, p < 0.05), thus rejecting the H02. This indicates the treatment effect on retention
abilities across experimental conditions. Subsequently, Bonferroni’s post-hoc test was

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 6
conducted to identify specific conditions with significantly higher performance (see
Table 4).
Table 4. Bonferroni Post-hoc Analysis on Retention Ability among Groups
(I) Group
(J) Group
Mean
Difference (I-J)
Sig.b
95% Confidence Interval for Differenceb
Lower Bound
Upper Bound
E.G. 1
E.G. 2
3.196*
.000
1.206
5.186
E.G. 3
-3.248*
.000
-5.196
-1.301
Control Group
5.715*
.000
3.725
7.706
E.G. 2
E.G. 1
-3.196*
.000
-5.186
-1.206
E.G. 3
-6.444*
.000
-8.574
-4.314
Control Group
2.519*
.004
.566
4.473
E.G. 3
E.G. 1
3.248*
.000
1.301
5.196
E.G. 2
6.444*
.000
4.314
8.574
Control Group
8.964*
.000
6.808
11.119
Control
Group
E.G. 1
-5.715*
.000
-7.706
-3.725
E.G. 2
-2.519*
.004
-4.473
-.566
E.G. 3
-8.964*
.000
-11.119
-6.808
Source: Researcher’s pair-wise comparison *: Significant at p < 0.05
The Bonferroni Post-hoc analysis in Table 4 demonstrates significant differences in
retention ability among groups (p < 0.05). E.G. 3 had the highest retention ability,
significantly outperforming E.G. 1 (Mdiff = 3.248) and E.G. 2 (Mdiff = 6.444). E.G. 1 also
showed higher retention ability compared to E.G. 2 (Mdiff = 3.196).
H03: There is no significant difference in academic performance in identified
difficult biology topics between male and female SS 2 students in E.G. 1, 2 and 3.
Table 5. ANCOVA Result on Academic Performance of E.G. 1, 2, and 3 by gender
Source
Type III Sum of
Squares
df
Mean Square
F
Sig.
Corrected Model
15909.780a
6
2651.630
14.660
.000
Intercept
149318.844
1
149318.844
825.557
.000
Covariate (Pre-test)
1059.450
1
1059.450
5.858
.016
Treatment * Gender
15563.605
5
3112.721
17.210
.000
Error
129684.016
717
180.870
Total
988942.000
724
Corrected Total
145593.796
723
a. R Squared = .109 (Adjusted R Squared = .102) *: Significant at p < 0.05
Source: Research Fieldwork (2023)
The ANCOVA results in Table 5 show a significant difference in academic
performance between male and female SS 2 students across E.G.s 1, 2, and 3 (F(5, 717) =
17.210, p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of H03. This rejection suggests a significant
treatment effect on academic performance based on gender. Subsequently, Bonferroni’s
Post-hoc test was conducted to identify specific conditions contributing to this difference
(see Table 6).
Table 6. Bonferroni Post-hoc on Academic Performance of E.G. 1, 2, and 3 by gender
(I) Group
(J) Group
Mean
Difference (I-J)
Sig.b
95% Confidence Interval for Differenceb
Lower Bound
Upper Bound
E.G. 1 Male
E.G. 2 Female
4.323*
0.002
1.346
7.299
E.G. 3 Female
-0.285
0.921
-1.093
0.052

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 7
E.G. 2 Male
E.G. 1 Female
-4.323*
0.002
-7.299
-1.346
E.G. 3 Female
-11.005*
0.000
-14.018
-7.992
E.G. 3 Male
E.G. 1 Female
0.203
0.930
-0.391
0.795
E.G. 2 Female
11.005*
0.000
7.992
14.018
Source: Research Fieldwork (2023) *: Significant at p < 0.05
Table 6 revealed significant differences in academic performance between male and
female students. E.G. 1 males outperformed E.G. 2 females (Mdiff = 4.323, p = 0.002),
while E.G. 2 males performed less than E.G. 1 female (Mdiff = -4.323, p = 0.002) and E.G.
3 females (Mdiff = -11.005, p = 0.000). E.G. 3 males outperformed E.G. 2 females (Mdiff =
11.005, p = 0.000). No significant difference was found between genders in E.G.s 1 and 3.
Null Hypothesis Four (H04): There is no significant difference in the retention
ability of male and female SS 2 students in identified difficult biology topics across E.G.
1, 2, and 3.
Table 7. ANCOVA Result for Retention Ability of E.G. 1, 2, and 3 by Gender
Source
Type III Sum of
Squares
df
Mean Square
F
Sig.
Corrected Model
67575.366a
6
11262.561
207.143
.000
Intercept
8392.207
1
8392.207
154.351
.000
Covariate (Post-test)
50460.845
1
50460.845
928.083
.000
Gender
3645.914
5
729.183
13.411
.000
Error
38984.037
717
54.371
Total
782136.000
724
Corrected Total
106559.403
723
a. R Squared = .634 (Adjusted R Squared = .631) *: Significant at p < 0.05
The ANCOVA results in Table 7 reveal a significant difference in retention ability
between male and female SS 2 students across E.G.s 1, 2, and 3 (F(5, 717) = 13.411, p <
0.05). This led to the rejection of H04. Subsequent post-hoc tests were conducted to
pinpoint specific group differences (see Table 8).
Table 8. Bonferroni Post-hoc Analysis on Retention Ability of E.G. 1, 2, and 3 by Gender
(I) Group
(J) Group
Mean Difference (I-J)
Sig.b
95% Confidence Interval for Differenceb
Lower Bound
Upper Bound
E.G. 1 Male
E.G. 2 Female
4.814*
.000
3.183
6.445
E.G. 3 Female
-.216
1.000
-1.843
1.412
E.G. 2 Male
E.G. 1 Female
-4.814*
.000
-6.445
-3.183
E.G. 3 Female
-5.030*
.000
-6.749
-3.311
E.G. 3 Male
E.G. 1 Female
.216
1.000
-1.412
1.843
E.G. 2 Female
5.030*
.000
3.311
6.749
Source: Research Fieldwork (2023) *: Significant at p < 0.05
The Bonferroni post-hoc analysis in Table 8 indicates significant differences in
retention ability between male and female SS 2 students across E.G.s 1, 2, and 3. E.G. 1
males showed higher retention than E.G. 2 females (Mdiff = 4.814, p = .000), while E.G. 2
males exhibited lower retention than E.G. 1 female (Mdiff = -4.814, p = .000) and E.G. 3
females (Mdiff = -5.030, p = .000). E.G. 2 demonstrated significantly lower performance,
with no significant differences between genders in E.G.s 1 and 3.
6. Discussion
The results pertaining to the first null hypothesis revealed a significant difference in
academic performance in the identified difficult biology topics among SS 2 students in
Zamfara State. Particularly noteworthy was the significant improvement observed in the

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 8
groups taught by TPCK-CFC and TBCK-CFC. This is consistent with the findings of
Ibrahim (2012), who reported impact of effective professional development model in
increasing teachers' knowledge bases thereby shaping student achievement. The finding
of the present study, revealed the efficacy of CFC, especially for professionally qualified
biology teachers and those possessing biology content knowledge but have limited
pedagogical skills. In contrast, the TPK-CFC and Control Group exhibited comparatively
less gains. This finding resonate with existing literature and also lend credence with
previous research by Ololube (2006), Ifamuyiwa (2022), Abdullahi (2021), and Adeniran
(2018), Darnell (2020) and Hibbard (2016) who emphasizes the impact of teacher
qualifications (knowledge bases) on student learning outcomes. These findings
collectively stressed on the significance of effective professional development like CFC
in enhancing teachers’ mastery of subject matter and instruction skills to ultimately
improve students’ academic performance.
The analysis of the second hypothesis revealed a statistically significant difference
in the retention abilities in identified perceived difficult biology topics among SS 2
students in the Experimental Groups 1, 2, and 3 in Zamfara State. Specifically, CFC
yielded more substantial enhancements in retention for students in Experimental Group
1 (taught by TBCK-CFC) and Experimental Group 3 (taught by TPCK-CFC). Conversely,
Experimental Group 2 (TPK-CFC) exhibited no significant improvement in retention.
This finding is consistent with the observations of Abdullahi (2021) and Ibrahim (2012),
regarding the limited effect of professional development on teachers with Pedagogical
Knowledge-only. These results indicated the important role of teachers' knowledge
bases in influencing student retention. Abdullahi (2021) described teachers with only
Pedagogical Knowledge-only as out-of-field biology teachers. He attributed their
ineffectiveness in improving students' retention to their lack of deep subject knowledge,
which hampers their instructional ability to resolve students' conceptual difficulties.
The analyses of hypotheses three and four revealed a significant gender differences
in academic performance and retention among SS 2 students in Zamfara State across
Experimental Groups 1, 2, and 3. Notably, CFC consistently proved effective, for student
participants in the Experimental Groups 1 and 3, where gender disparities are minimal.
Conversely, noticeable gender-related disparity emerged in Group 2. These findings
stressed on the advantages of Biological Content Knowledge and balanced Pedagogical
Content Knowledge in mitigating gender discrepancies in biology classroom. These
findings are in agreement with Shulman's philosophical perspective, as reported by
Abdullahi (2021), Streiling et al. (2021), and Omoseebi (2021). They reported that having
a combination of subject matter knowledge with effective pedagogy, promotes
inclusivity and reduces gender related differences in science classroom. The findings of
the present study are consistent with Anoh and Oyekanmi (2021) and Abza et al. (2022),
who highlighted the importance of these factors in achieving gender equitable learning
outcomes in biology. Similarly, Ibrahim (2012) found that teachers with Pedagogical
Content Knowledge exposed to professional and mentoring support significantly
improved performance and retention in both male and female students compared to
those without such exposure. Therefore, in contrast to previous assumptions of Njoku
and Nwagbo (2020) regarding biology's gender neutrality, this present study has proven
that effective teaching strategies and subject-specific expertise are instrumental in
fostering gender equitable learning outcomes.
7. Conclusion
The findings indicated the significant effectiveness of CFC, particularly for teachers
with Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK-CFC) and Biological Content
Knowledge-only (TBCK-CFC). It showed less efficacy for teachers with Pedagogical
Knowledge-only (TPK-CFC). Significant effects were observed in academic performance
and retention in difficult biology topics among SS 2 students taught by TPCK-CFC and

Curriculum & Innovation, 2024, 2(1), 1-11. 9
TBCK-CFC. Gender differences were evident, with CFC being most effective for both
male and female students taught by TPCK-CFC and TBCK-CFC. These findings revealed
CFC as an effective professional development model, addressing teacher knowledge
gaps and improving students’ performance and retention in challenging biology topics.
CFC also promoted gender equitable learning outcomes in biology.
8. Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations were made:
To curtail persistence poor performance in biology subject, Zamfara State Ministry
of Education should adopt CFC as a PD model for improving biology teachers' content
and pedagogical skills in teaching challenging topics in the subject.
School authorities in Zamfara State should stop assigning teachers with
Pedagogical Knowledge-only to teach biology. Instead, they should prioritize recruiting
qualified biology teachers to fill vacancies.
Teachers with Biological Knowledge-only should be encouraged and supported to
acquire Postgraduate Diploma in Education to enrich their teaching capabilities through
exposure to essential pedagogical skills.
Author contributions
Akilu Isma’il1* conducted the primary research and analysed the data. Dr.
Suleiman Sa’adu Matazu2 (Associate Professor) served as the supervisor, providing
guidance throughout the research process. Both authors contributed to the writing and
editing of the manuscript.
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or
publication of this article.
Acknowledgements
The researchers are highly indebted to the Ministry of Education, Zamfara State for
giving permission to have access to the participants. Sincere thanks are also conveyed to
both the student and teacher participants for their willingness to partake in the research.
Declarations
The authors declared that they have no competing interests related to this article.
Data availability and sharing policy
Applicable.
Author notes
The paper emanated from Ph.D. thesis in partial fulfilment of requirement for
graduation.
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