Effect of Guided Discovery Instructional Strategy on the Academic Achievement and Retention among Chemistry Students on Nce 1 in Volumetric Analysis in Federal College of Education (Fce) Obudu

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of the Guided Discovery Instructional Strategy on academic Achievement and Retention among Chemistry Students of NCE year 1 in volumetric analysis in F.C.E Obudu. Quasi-experimental Pretest-Posttest was the design used. The population of the study was made up of both male and female students totaling five hundred and twenty (520). The instrument used was a designed test questions on Chemistry Volumetric Analysis Test (CVAT). The test items were validated by experts in test and measurement Department in the Faculty of Education UNICAL and Chemistry Department, F.C.E Obudu. A reliability coefficient of 0.65 using Cronbach Alpha was used. Four research questions were raised and answered using mean and standard deviation statistical method. The results showed that, in the identical circumstances and settings, students instructed via the guided discovery method performed better than those taught using the traditional lecture style. The study also showed that when educating both sexes utilizing the Guided Discovery technique, there is no discernible difference in the academic performance of males and females. The study also shows that there was an important distinction in retention ability between the conventional lecture approach and the guided discovery method for all students. Result of the study showed that guided Discovery method is preferable in teaching Sciences (Chemistry) than lecture method in volumetric analysis. Recommendations were made showing clearly that the Guided Discovery method should be applied by science teachers in Nigeria because, it is effective in achievement and retention by students and also that, it does not create disparity in gender level of achievement and retention, thus it should be enshrined in the Science curriculum of studies in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.