Resolving Nigerian Secondary School Students’ Learning Difficulties in Nuclear Chemistry Using Computer Animation Solutions

Abstract

Chemistry is a central science subject because it is required at Senior School Certificate level for entry into nearly all basic and applied science courses at the tertiary level of education in Nigeria. Nigerian students have, for many decades, performed very poorly in Chemistry at the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Students’ persistent mass failure in SSCE Chemistry has been attributed to many factors among which are the many topics which research has identified to be difficult for students to learn. Nuclear Chemistry (NC) is one of these difficult topics. Considering the importance of NC in national development in terms of energy, medicine, research, armament etc, efforts are being made to determine why it is found difficult by students, and to resolve the difficulties for better students’ learning achievement. This study was aimed at resolving identified Nigerian students’ learning difficulties in NC using simulated computer animation teaching strategies. A sample of 63 SSIII (grade 12) students who have been identified as indicating widespread learning difficulties in NC were exposed to 4 weeks of instruction on NC concepts using computer simulation animation strategies. The sample (35 females and 28 males) were in 4 intact classes in 4 public secondary schools in Calabar Municipal Area Council, South - South zone of Nigeria. The instrument for data collection was a 30-item short-answer essay test called Nuclear Chemistry Learning Difficulties Diagnostic Test (NCLDDT). Data was analysed using frequency and percentage. It was found that the use of computer simulation animation teaching strategy reduced the widespread of the learning difficulties experienced by SSIII Chemistry students in Nuclear Chemistry. This teaching strategy was therefore recommended for teaching NC concepts and other difficult concepts in Chemistry at SSCE level.