The declining performance of students in Ecology has been largely attributed to the continued use of ineffective instructional approaches and limited student engagement in science classrooms. This study examined the effects of Science Process Skills instruction and Problem-Solving Skills strategies on Senior Secondary School students’ academic achievement in Ecology in Oyo East Local Government Area, Oyo State. One hypothesis was formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted. The population comprised 1,240 Senior Secondary School II Biology students in the study area, from which 97 students were selected through intact classes from three sampled schools. The Ecology Achievement Test (EAT)(KR – 20 = 0.87) was used for data collection, with pretest scores serving as covariates, while instructional guides were employed for treatment delivery. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). There was a significant main effect of treatments on students’ academic achievement in Ecology (F(2, 92) = 44.908, p < 0.05, partial η² = 0.494). The study concludes that Science Process Skills instruction and Problem-Solving Skills strategies significantly enhance students’ achievement in Ecology compared to the Traditional Teaching method. It is therefore recommended that Biology teachers adopt Science Process Skills and Problem-Solving instructional approaches to improve students’ understanding, engagement, and academic performance in Ecology.
Keywords: Academic achievement, Ecology, Science process skills instruction, Problem-solving skills strategy.
