Senior Secondary Chemistry Students Research Articles

Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Acquisition of Creative Thinking Skills among Chemistry Students in Ogoja Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria

The study investigated the effect of problem-based learning strategy in fostering creative thinking skills among senior secondary chemistry students in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. A pre-test, post-test non-randomized control group quasi experimental design was adopted while a sample of one hundred and twenty-five (125) senior secondary two (SS 2) Chemistry students drawn from a population of 2533 chemistry students participation in the study. One co-educational school each was selected from two out of five Local Government Areas in the zone through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. An intact class from each of the two schools was randomly assigned to experimental and controls groups. An instrument titled Creative Thinking Skills Acquisition Scale (CTSAC) with a reliability index of 0.09 was used for data collection. The data obtained was analyzed using mean scores to answer the research questions and the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. The results showed that students exposed to problem-based learning strategy exhibited a higher propensity in the acquisition of creative thinking skills than those taught using the conventional lecture method of instruction. The result further indicated that there is no significant influence of gender on students’ acquisition of creative thinking skills. Based on the result obtained, it was therefore recommended that problem-based learning strategy be used to teach chemistry and other STEM subjects in secondary school to help students develop creative thinking skills.

Bridging gender disparities in senior secondary chemistry: What magic can Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach perform?

This study investigated the impact of Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach in bridging gender disparities in achievement among senior secondary chemistry students. The study adopted pre-test, post-test nonequivalent quasi-experimental design. The sample comprised 118 senior secondary 2 chemistry students with 58 students in the experimental group (30 male; 28 female) and 60 students in the control group (27 male; 33 female) in two intact classes from two senior secondary schools in Education District V, Lagos State, Nigeria. The experimental group was taught using Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach while the control group was taught the same concepts for a period of six weeks using the conventional lecture method. Chemistry Cognitive Achievement Test and Chemistry Practical Achievement Test were used for data collection after validated by experts in test and measurement, and chemistry entrepreneurship. The reliability coefficients of the CCAT and CPAT were established using K-21 which yielded 0.87 and 0.76 respectively. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that gender had no significant effect on the students’ cognitive achievement [F(1,56)=.02; p>0.05] and practical achievement [F(1,56)=.48; p>0.05] in chemistry when taught using Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach. The study therefore recommended among others that Chemistry teachers should make effective use of Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach in chemistry instructions and the Curriculum planners should ensure the incorporation of entrepreneurial modules in the learning experience of senior secondary chemistry curriculum and textbooks to ensure skills acquisition among chemistry students.

Cultural resources, academic self-concept, and achievement of chemistry students in senior secondary schools of Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria

This paper investigated cultural resources, academic self-concept, and achievement of chemistry students in a senior secondary school in Nigeria. Research questions and hypotheses were formulated to direct the study. A quasi-experimental factorial design was used in this study, which had a sample size of 90 senior secondary chemistry students. The Academic Self-concept Questionnaire (ASCQ) and Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) were used in this study. The reliability of ASCQ was done using Cronbach Alpha and it was 0.80 while the reliability of CAT was done using Kuder Richardson formula 20 and had a coefficient of 0.79. The results obtained were analyzed using a dependent t-test and analysis of variance (ANCOVA). Analysis of data showed that the academic self-concept of the students increased after using cultural resources and the experimental group gained more than the control. This study found that cultural resources made the learning of chemical concepts easy to comprehend as the materials were things that the learners were familiar with. This study recommends, among others, that teachers use cultural resources in teaching chemistry.

Effect of Concept Mapping Teaching Approach on Students’ Academic Performance in Chemistry in Senior Secondary Schools

This study investigated the effect of the concept mapping teaching approach on students’ performance in Chemistry in senior secondary schools regarding a periodic table concept. W analyzed 11,094 chemistry students from eleven public senior secondary schools in Katsina. Two schools and 128 Senior Secondary chemistry students formed the sample for the study. Three research questions with hypotheses were raised and formulated respectively to guide the study. The study was a non-equivalent pre-test and post-test control group involving one experimental group and one control group. The chemistry Performance Test was used for data collection. The study revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught a periodic table concept using concept mapping and those taught the same concept before the treatment. There is a significant difference in the performance of the students taught a periodic table concept using concept mapping and those taught the same concept using a conventional teaching method after the treatment. Also, there is no significant difference in the mean performance score that exists between male and female chemistry students.

Effect of Gender on Senior Secondary Chemistry Students’ Achievement in Stoichiometry Using Hands-on Activities

The study examined the effect of gender on students’ achievement in stoichiometry using hands-on activities. A sample of 292 students from eight purposively selected secondary schools out of a population of 8,381 SS II students from zone C of Benue State, Nigeria was used for the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. Stoichiometry Achievement Test (SAT) was used for data collection. Reliability coefficient of 0.92 was established using Pearson correlation moment coefficient. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores between male and female students taught stoichiometry using hands-on activities; (F(1, 145) = 4.160, p>0.05). It also found no significant interaction effect between methods and gender on the mean achievement scores of students in stoichiometry; (F(1, 291) = 0.11, p>0.05). It was recommended among others that since hands-on activities method is not gender sensitive therefore both male and female students should be involved in hands-on activities to enhance their achievement in stoichiometry.

Effect of Hands-On Activities on Senior Secondary Chemistry Students Achievement and Retention in Stoichiometry in Zone C of Benue State

The research was on the effect of hands-on activities on senior secondary chemistry students’ achievement and retention in stoichiometry in Zone C of Benue State. The moderating effect of gender was also examined. The study adopted the pretest, posttest, control group, quasi-experimental research design. The instrument used for data collection was Stoichiometry Achievement Test (SAT) with the reliability value of 0.92 using Pearson product moment coefficient. The target population of this study was 8381 which was the population of SSII chemistry students in study area. A sample of 292 students comprising 158 boys and 134 girls drawn from 8 schools within 4 Local Government Areas (LGA) out of 9 LGA in the zone selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Four research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that students taught stoichiometry using hands-on activities had significantly higher mean achievement scores than those taught using demonstration method F=555.374, P(0.0001<0.05) and students taught stoichiometry using hands-on activities had significantly higher mean retention scores than those taught using demonstration method F=117.523, P(0.0001<0.05). There was no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught stoichiometry using hands-on activities. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Chemistry teacher’s trainee should be trained on the use of hands-on activities and serving teachers should use it. Hands-on activities teaching method is not gender sensitive therefore both male and female students should be involved in hands-on activities to enhance their achievement and retention in stoichiometry.

Ecocultural Factors in Students’ Ability To Relate Science Concepts Learned at School and Experienced at Home: Implications for Chemistry Education

Making connections between science concepts taught in school and real-world phenomena is considered important in engaging students in learning. The present study examines students’ abilities to relate their in-school science learning to everyday experiences at home. The sample comprised 200 senior secondary chemistry students drawn from Ondo State, Nigeria. The students were asked to respond to a validated structured questionnaire that explored the ability of students to relate chemistry concepts they had learned in school to those activities they carried out daily at home. Demographic factors such as the effect of parents’ socioeconomic background on students’ ability to relate the two experiences were also explored. The results reveal that the majority of the students could not establish a clear relationship between science concepts learned at school and science concepts embedded in their everyday experiences, despite daily exposure in both contexts. The findings also indicate that students’ socioeconom...