Complete Project – AN ASSESSMENT OF CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Many chemistry teachers regard practical chemistry as very important for various reasons which include concept learning, motivation and the development of skills and appropriate scientific attitudes. This is in line with the objectives of chemistry education (Bradley, 1999; National Education Council, 2002). These objectives may not have been achieved because of students’ aversion for chemistry laboratory. The aversion for chemistry laboratory activities could have been emanated from the phobia of acids and bases domiciled in the chemistry laboratory, which are fundamental compounds used in quantitative and qualitative analysis. Chemistry is essentially a practical oriented subject which demands proper exhibition of science process skills (practical skill) for effective interpretation of existing phenomena (Njelita, 2008).

It is argued that laboratory experiences are a worthwhile aspect of science education where drilling and practicing is applied to train students to be more scientifically inclined and pass their practical examination (Morgil, Gungor & Secken, 2009). Meanwhile, the laboratory has value for nurturing positive students’ attitudes and providing avenue to develop and demonstrate their practical skills in practical chemistry works. Novak (1984) observed that it appears that students fare no better with a laboratory experience than without one in developing understanding of chemistry. Ali (1996) noted that there is no best method but that effective science teaching should be laboratory centred, activity-oriented rather than text or lecture centred which characterize the Nigerian schools. Various instructional methods, such as guided discovery and demonstration instructional methods that could share features with laboratory experiences could be successful in attaining numerous vital educational goals. In view of this, Hofstein and Lunetta (2004) observed that these goals are arousing and maintaining the interest of students, developing higher-level thinking skills, promoting the acquisition of science process skills. Therefore, in the context of this study, considering laboratory experiences are apposite and appropriate to search for instructional methods or modification of existing ones which can promote the objectives of education and investigate their effects, on students’ learning outcomes.

Several works (Hofstein and Lunetta, 2004; Mamlok-Naaaman, 2007 and Lagarowitz and Tamir, 1994) have shown that students enrollment in the sciences is declining gradually over the years in high schools. It is, therefore, the thinking of the researcher that students are running away from practical chemistry, because practical chemistry is done in the laboratory which they already consider as a dangerous place since it contains acids and bases which they are afraid of. Consequently, this fear that resulted from the misconceptions has affected students’ attitudes, enrollment, class attendance, motivation and performance. This has practically deadened students drive, enthusiasm, curiosity and occasioned lost of interest in learning practical chemistry. Indeed, this has tremendously affected students’ academic achievement in practical chemistry in SSCE. Attitudes towards chemistry in this context, denotes interests or feelings towards studying practical chemistry. Students’ beliefs and attitudes have the potential to either facilitate or inhibit learning (Yara, 2009). The position of Yara, absolutely corroborates the view and cry of the researcher that the misconceptions of the students about the laboratory (acids and bases) have affected their attitudes which has eventually occasioned inhibition in learning.

Research evidence in Nigeria (WAEC chief Examinations’ report, 2000-2007) underscores low science (especially Chemistry) attainment of secondary school students. This situation is amplified by the few number of students pursuing science related courses in higher educational institutions compared with the art and social sciences students, despite the colossal effort made by the government aimed at improving the study of science, it is sad to observe that students achievement in chemistry continue to be low according to the annual report on the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in chemistry.

Okegbile (2007) described an academic achievement as a general pedagogical terminology used while determining learners’ success in formal education which is measured through reports, examinations, researches and rating with numerous extraneous factors or variables exerting influences. Achievement results revealed the level of learners’ performance and prove their capacities. However, the underachievement is characterized by the results of schools whose educational attainment falls below appreciable level. It could also be as a result of learners performance that is below their capacities, which is in consonance with the view of Vamadevappa (2002) and Odili (2004) that underachievement comes from a student’s scholastic performance that is below his or her ability level. The researchers now puts up some of the factors that are likely attributed to the wrong perceptions that students have created against chemistry laboratory practical work which include: student carelessness, poor study habits, lack of motivation, inappropriate teaching methods, students’ behaviour and peer group influence, poor home background or environment, unqualified teacher, instructional and evaluation process that failed to recognize learners’ individual differences.

The effects of students mass failure in public examinations is worrisome and poses a great question to what is happening at the classroom level in the senior secondary schools in Nigeria today (Okpala, 2009). This culminates to provoking questions such as: are there enough learning facilities? Are the teachers motivated to work? Are the students ready to learn? And even, at our tertiary institutions of learning, the result is not different, in chemistry performance as it has been poor and deplorable asserted by Jimoh (2004) and Njoku (2007). Consequently, this has further corroborated, the early reports given by the WAEC Chief examiners’ especially on that of 2006 report that gave a clear picture of massive failure that have been recorded over the years. Especially, in that particular year (2006) chemistry result and some other sciences due to wrong knowledge and misconceptions in the calculation aspect of chemistry especially the overwhelming poor experimental performance that worsen the whole matter. Even the finding of Nwagbo (2001) revealed that some science teachers find it difficult to teach some instructional contents due to their personal incompetence, poor teaching methods adopted by the teachers, limited knowledge in the use of available apparatus in the laboratory, defective monitoring and feedback mechanism which are likely to create a big pitfall to aforementioned mass failure ever recorded in chemistry examination.

Meanwhile, Olatoye (2008) then opined that one of the likely reasons for the poor academic performances of students in chemistry might have been poor laboratory instructional methods that are characterized by traditional modes of instruction being adopted by the chemistry teacher. To this end, Derek (2007) commented that learning is not bound to any place or time but new knowledge, skills and concepts can be learned through experience which are well organized and arranged within individual’s existing cognitive structures that recognizes the learners freedom of choices and integrity. On this ground, it is clear that there is the need to seek for effective methods of teaching practical chemistry in the laboratory. Such teaching methods like guided discovery and demonstration that could bring in effectiveness in the teaching of chemistry should be employed. Also, adequate understanding of practical chemistry concepts, skills and positive attitudes towards practical chemistry should be taught and imbibed. Indeed, this consistent and persistent low achievement in sciences especially in chemistry subject conspicuously indicates that science education in Nigeria is greatly unsatisfactory. This is obviously clear that the prospect of Nigeria to be scientifically and technologically developed in the nearest future is not visible, especially, considering the contribution of chemistry to societal growth.

According to Eskilsson (2008), scientific achievement can only be realized via appropriate teaching and learning of sciences in our school system. This can be achieved through improved curriculum content, appropriate laboratory instructional materials, qualified and committed teachers that have good personality, high intelligence quotient, knowledge of subject matter, experience, skillful and good command of the subject, class and laboratory management skills with a good command of relevant instructional methods. Okebukola (2003) attributed poor achievement in chemistry to misconceptions of chemistry concepts on the part of students and teachers, inadequate laboratory facilities, inefficient and non-devoted science teachers and lack of motivations.

It is the intention of the researcher that activity-based science will allow learners to explore their environment and discover nature. It should be borne in our minds that as the teacher fruitfully take on guided discovery method; learners will be expected to carry out some mental processes such as observing, classifying, measuring, predicting, inferring and hypothesizing. It is on this premise that a lot of enquiry predominates in the laboratory with the teacher acting as an organizer, a facilitator and motivator, moving from one point to another to guide the learning of students and aid them to obviate difficulties as observed by Etuk (2004). In the light of this, the teacher plays the role of a resource person who guides the learners to sources of information. The most important feature of this method is to enable both teachers and learners to be researchers, idea propagators and problem solvers. Furthermore, it has some positive influence on students’ academic achievement by making such students proactive, developing their understandings, improving their research skills and understanding of the nature of the science (Wallace and Kang, 2004 & Blonder, Naaman and Hofstein, 2008).

Therefore, it is on this note that it becomes necessary to find out if guided discovery learning method could unveil the conceptual misconceptions among students. And eventually normalize their negative attitude by reawakening their lost interest in practical chemistry. Discovery method, though old, but when employed could demystify the misconceptions of students as they may discover for themselves that acids are also present in most of the foods we eat, including fruits and not only found in the laboratory. They will discover also, that acids become dangerous only when mishandled and mismanaged. This instructional method could help learners to develop their individual responsibility, cognitive methods, report making, problem solving and understanding skills.

Misconceptions: are the learners’ mental models (internal representations of objects, events and processes learners construct in order to predict and explain phenomena) into the consensus models (the expressed representations used by the scientific community) (Johnson, 1998; Collins & Gentner, 1998). Also, misconceptions, otherwise known as alternative conceptions are conceptual ideas and thinking which are in contradictions with those of the scientific community. Conceptually, misconceptions are naive mental models which are not in agreement with the consensus models.

Previous studies have revealed that students hold misconceptions in chemistry (Aguirre, Haggerty and Linder, 1990; Adigwe, 1993a and b; Clerk and Rutherford, 2000; Voska and Heikkinen, 2000). The major factors that have been identified to be responsible for these misconceptions are poor methods of instruction (Kilbourn, 1992; Schmidt, 1994; Ochonogor, 1999), improper exposure to laboratory activities (Lawton, 1990; Brotherton and Precce, 1996), lack of organizational skills and inadequate exposure to problem-solving procedures.

A careful analysis of the evidence in the reviewed works on the effects of laboratory instructional methods (guided discovery and demonstration) unveils that laboratory instructional methods could be the main problem on students’ attitude, conceptual change and academic achievement in practical chemistry (acids and bases) which might be a function of their misconceptions. This is traceable to the poor quality of laboratory instructional methods adopted by the chemistry teachers, used to pass their chemistry knowledge to their students. Therefore, this study is expected to empirically document whether the literatures cited earlier on, on the aforementioned teaching methods are still tenable in relation to gender and location in the particular case of senior secondary schools 1 chemistry students in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers state.

Statement of the Problem

Reviewed literatures in science education have revealed that the various instructional methods that have been used in teaching practical chemistry have not improved students’ academic achievements in the subject to any significant extent. This connotes that the most desired scientific and technological knowledge that should be derived from practical chemistry for solving societal problems may not be sustained. The implication of this is that the teaching of practical chemistry does not result in the learners’ understanding of concepts.

Although available evidences indicate that senior secondary school chemistry students have misconceptions in practical chemistry contents but it does not appear that sufficient attempts have been made to unmask the specific areas of students’ misconceptions (Aguire, Haggerty and Linder, 1990; Adigwe, 1993a and b; Clerk and Rutherford, 2000). Also, reviewed literatures have shown that there is a serious decline in the enrollment of students and the few candidates enrolling perform poorly. All these are largely traceable to misconceptions in practical chemistry, which could have emanated from the phobia of acids and bases. Additionally, misconceptions have been shown to be a product of teaching methods. These are the gaps that this work intended to find empirically among grade 10 senior secondary school (SS1) chemistry students in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The researcher observed from the reviewed literatures that there was the dire need to identify appropriate laboratory teaching methods that would enhance students’ achievement, conceptual change and attitudes to practical chemistry contents (acids and bases). The researcher was interested in finding the relative effects of three laboratory methods (guided discovery and demonstration against lecture method) on students’ attitudes, conceptual change and achievement in practical chemistry contents (acid and base).

Purpose of the study

The main objective of this study is to determine an assessment of chemistry practical activities in senior secondary schools. More specifically the study aims to:

determine the relative effect of treatment (guided discovery and demonstration methods) and control (lecture method) on students’ conceptual change in practical chemistry laboratory activities.

determine the relative effect of treatment and control on students’ achievement in practical chemistry content (acids and bases).
determine the relative effect of treatment and control on students’ attitude to practical chemistry content (acids and bases).

determine the interaction effect of gender and treatment against control on students’ conceptual change in practical chemistry contents (acids and bases).
determine the interaction effect of gender and treatment against control on students’ achievement in acids and bases in practical chemistry.
identify the interaction effect of gender and treatment against control on students’ attitude to practical chemistry content (acids and bases).
determine the interaction effect of location and treatment against control on students’ conceptual change in acids and bases in practical chemistry.
determine the interaction effect of location and treatment against control on students’ achievement in acids and bases in practical chemistry.
determine the interaction effect of location and treatment against control on students’ attitude to acids and bases in practical chemistry.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of huge benefit to the government, curriculum developers and educational policy makers, prospective and practicing chemistry teachers as it will provide vital information on the effectiveness of using laboratory instructional methods (guided discovery and demonstration) against lecture method on students’ attitudes, conceptual change and achievement in practical chemistry in senior secondary schools.

The application of the findings of this study will be of immense help to the government. It will aid in designing in-service training programmes that will provide benchmarks for comparison and gauging programmes progress. It will also be of help as they are taking decisions on national strategies for science education integration at the senior secondary school level. Thus, the data provided by this study will aid in taking concrete action that will facilitate the recommendation of appropriate instructional methods that will be apt for the teaching of certain concepts in practical chemistry. Both the prospective and the practicing science teachers are bound to stimulate more research interest in this area.

Scope of the Study

The study examined an assessment of chemistry practical activities in senior secondary schools. This study was carried out in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State. The study was delimited to practical chemistry contents (acids and bases). The content scope of the study includes the concepts of acids and bases. This content is found in SS1 chemistry curriculum. The dependent variables include students’ attitudes, conceptual change and achievement in chemistry practical activities.

Research Questions

In order to guide this study, the following research questions were posed:

What are the relative effects of treatments (guided discovery and demonstration methods) and control (lecture method) on students’ conceptual change in practical chemistry laboratory activities?
What are the relative effects of teaching methods on students’ achievement in practical chemistry contents (acids and bases)?
What are the relative effects of teaching methods on students’ attitude to practical chemistry contents (acids and bases)?
What are the interaction effects of gender and teaching methods on students’ conceptual change in practical chemistry contents (acids and bases)?
What are the interaction effects of gender and teaching methods on students’ achievement in practical chemistry contents (acids and bases)?
What are the interaction effects of gender and teaching methods on students’ attitude to practical chemistry (acids and bases)?
What are the interaction effects of location and teaching methods on students’ conceptual change in practical chemistry contents (acids and bases)?
What are the interaction effects of location and teaching methods on students’ achievement in practical chemistry contents (acids and bases)?
What are the interaction effects of location and teaching methods on students’ attitude to practical chemistry (acids and bases)?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance to further answer the research questions.

H₀₁: Students’ mean scores in their conceptual change due to teaching methods would not be statistically different (P<0.05).

H_02:Students’ achievement mean scores in practical chemistry would not depend on the teaching methods used in instruction (P<0.05).

H₀₃: Students’ attitude mean scores in practical chemistry (acids and bases) would not depend on the teaching methods used in instruction (P<0.05).

H₀₄: The interaction effect of gender and teaching methods on students’ conceptual change mean scores would not be significantly different (P<0.05).

H₀₅: The interaction effect of gender and teaching methods on students’ achievement mean scores would not be significant (P<0.05).

H₀₆: The interaction effect of gender and teaching methods on students’ attitude mean scores would not be significantly different (P<0.05).

H₀₇: The interaction effect of location and teaching methods on students’ conceptual change mean scores would not be significantly different (P<0.05).

H₀₈: The interaction effect of location and teaching methods on students’ achievement mean scores would not be significantly different (P<0.05).

H₀₉: The interaction effect of location and teaching methods on students’ attitude mean scores would not be significantly different (P<0.05).

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Complete Project – AN ASSESSMENT OF CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Complete Project – AN ASSESSMENT OF CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Complete Project – AN ASSESSMENT OF CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

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