Lecture vs. Self-Regulated Learning: A Comparison of Two Methods in Teaching Biological Science

Lecture is a common method used in college teaching. Various researchescomparing lecture and more active methods in relation to students’ performance presented mixed views on the effectiveness of the lecture. This research aimed to compare the traditional lecture and self-regulating learning method in relation tostudents’ achievement in Biological Science. The study used quasi-experimentalmethod using non-equivalent group pretest-posttest design. Two intact classeswere used with 39 students in each class. A total of 78 first year students wereincluded in the study. The two groups were randomly assigned to the twoteaching methods. One group was taught through lecture while the other groupthrough self-regulated learning (SRL) method. Comparability of the studentswas based on their pretest scores in Biological Science. The study was conductedwith an observer. Teacher-made achievement test, course teaching manual, andcourse reader were used in the study. Results revealed that both lecture andSRL methods increased students’ achievement in Biological Science. However,students in the traditional method obtained higher mean pretest, posttest, andmean gain scores than students exposed to SRL method. Lecture as a teachingmethod should not be entirely replaced but also integrated with other methodswhenever it is appropriate.Keywords: Education, college science teaching, self-regulated learning, quasiexperimentaldesign, Philippines

Peer tutoring improves student performance in an advanced physiology course.

Effectiveness of a peer tutoring system developed for an advanced physiology course was assessed in terms of academic performance and perceived value. Forty-five students took the course without the peer tutoring system, and sixty-nine students took the course with peer tutoring. Grades from both groups of students were compared with grades earned in an introductory physiology course. Tutored students were asked how much they valued the peer tutoring. There was a decline in grades received by the students in the advanced physiology course compared with their scores in the introductory physiology course in both tutored and untutored groups. However, the decline in the tutored group was significantly (P = 0.015) less than that in the untutored group of students. Tutored students reacted very favorably to the tutoring sessions and expressed a desire to see tutoring expanded to other courses. This was the first demonstration of the effectiveness of peer tutoring in college science teaching. Peer tutoring appears to be effective in enhancing student performance as well as being perceived as beneficial by the students.