Haj. Hadiza Sani - Al-Qalam Journal, Nov., 2021.docx
- 1. 0 EFFECTS OF LABORATORY METHODS ON STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN STOICHIOMETRY AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN KADUNA STATE. BY Hadiza Garba SANI Chemistry Department Federal College of Education, Zaria [email protected] 08166458108 Saudatu Yahaya Department of Educational Foundations and Curriculum Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria [email protected] 08036613293 And Hauwa Adamu Department of Educational Foundations and Curriculum Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria [email protected] 07067683122 ABSTRACT The performance of students in chemistry and the negative attitude of students to chemistry has been a matter of serious concern to all stakeholders. Therefore, the study examined the effects of laboratory methods on students’ confidence and academic achievement in stoichiometry among senior secondary school in Kaduna state. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design that involved pre-test, post-test control group design. The population comprised all public senior secondary schools II students in Zaria Education zone in Kaduna state. Two senior secondary schools out of 214 avialabe4l were randomly selected using intact classes. Two instruments; stoichiometry achievement Test (SAT) and stoichiometry Confidence Inventory (SCI) were used for the study. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis of t- test and Mann-Whitney (u-test) at 0.05 level of significance. Independence t-test revealed that significant difference existed between the achievement mean scores of students in the experimental mean scores of students in the experimental and control groups. Also, significant difference existed between the confidence mean scores of students in the experimental and control groups. The following recommendations were made after the findings; use of laboratory instructional method should be encouraged in secondary schools. Teachers of this subject should accept it as one of the strategies they can use in chemistry classroom. Also, the curriculum planners should include the use of laboratory instructional method in the curriculum. Keyword: Laboratory method, Confidence, Academic Performance and Stoichiometry
- 2. 1 Introduction Any established school curriculum calls for means of its effective implementation in order to achieve the desired objectives for which it is intended to achieve, no discussion on the curriculum is complete without suggestions about methods of its effective implementation. Methods are what the professional and competent teacher utilizes to maximize students learning, it is the procedure by which a goal is reached or a purpose accomplished or result achieved. It includes ways in which a teacher does things that change the student’s behaviour. Teaching methods are very vital in the teaching – learning process, the methods adopted by the teacher may promote or hinder learning. Effective methods stimulate student’s interest in a topic, which is the basis for achieving desired objectives or it may discourage their initiatives and curiosity (Fashola, 2008). One of the leading causes of poor students’ performance in Chemistry in Nigeria as reported by Akale (2012), has to do with the instructional methods used by teachers, which are inadequate to bring about desired level of achievement and classroom participation in both male and female students. Some of the methods used by teachers are expository and make students to become very passive. The study observed that many Nigerian Chemistry teachers mostly use the traditional lecture method that centers on the teacher, textbook, the chalk and the chalkboard. Under this scene, the teacher is seen as a disseminator of knowledge, the knower of the answer and teacher who heavily relies on textbooks as the only available instructional material; conveys facts and procedures to students and hardly encourages students to engage in practical and creative learning activities. The traditional lecture method of teaching has been largely criticized for stifling interest and creativity in students thereby limiting academic achievement. There is therefore, a need to use innovative teaching method to see if there will be improvement in students’ achievement in Chemistry. Chemistry teachers have applied several instructional
- 3. 2 approaches in teaching chemistry yet the desire result in students achievement has not been achieved (Otor, 2011). Usman and Memeh (2007) further reported that the poor achievement of students’ inadequate preparations and methods adopted in teaching this subject. The pursuance of how to improve the achievement of students in chemistry is the concern for this investigation. The teaching of science at whatever level should aim at satisfying the immediate and long term wholistic needs of the beneficiary hence serves as the bases for scientific and industrial advancement. The emphasis of modern science teaching and learning is on learner’s active participation in learning process (Otor, 2013). In cognizance with the impotence of science and technological in Nigeria, science subjects such as chemistry are taught in secondary schools to prepare a base for any science and technological development (Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017). Chemistry is one of the core science subjects among science in secondary school curriculum in Nigeria and linked to almond everything on earth. It plays vital role in the industrial, technological and economic development of any nation. It also features prominently in the areas of oil and gas, health, agriculture to mention but a few. It is therefore, a catalyst of sustainable national growth and development (Otor, 2013). Chemistry is an experimental science that systematically studies the composition, properties, and activities of organic and inorganic substances and various elementary forms of matter (Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017). However, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Chief Examiner’s report (2017) on chemistry concepts in the Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) chemistry syllabus. The WAEC chief examiner’s attributed the poor achievement of students due to their unfamiliarity with the use of simple laboratory equipment, inadequate exposure to laboratory techniques, lack of observational skills, omission of units in calculated values, inability to write (Ajayi, 2017).
- 4. 3 Stoichiometry is a section of chemistry that involves using relationship between reactants and or products in a chemical reaction to determine desired quantitative data. Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions in chemistry. Stoichiometry is founded on the law of conservation of mass where the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products, leading to the insight that the relations among quantities of reactant and product typically form a ratio of positive integers. However, in schools, stoichiometry is not usual presented in a meaningful or interesting way, causing students not to enjoy learning the subject. For teachers, they may be more successful in their lesson delivery if they are more conscious of the different learning styles of their students and attempt to use different teaching methods for different types of students (Myron and Keith, 2007). Adegoke (2013), reported that several researchers such as Aliu (2011), Olorunyomi (2013) and Olorundare (2014) investigated the causes of students' poor achievement in SSCE physical Chemistry concepts and the most recurring factor is inefficient teaching methods such as demonstration, discussion, and lecture teaching methods employed by secondary school Chemistry teachers. Similarly, Olorunyomi (2013) noted that demonstration method is popular in teaching SSCE physical Chemistry concept such as Stoichiometry. The researcher added that demonstration method is teacher-centered as it does not involve the learners enough participation. Functional education which deemphasizes mere regurgitation of facts and theories but internalization of concrete activities learnt that could be applied in any given situation. By implication, concrete activities learnt are activities which involve doing using apparatus. These includes weighing, measuring, demonstrating, carrying out tests/experiments and any other activities that could enhance students’ achievement in such concepts such as stoichiometry taught conventionally in senior secondary schools.
- 5. 4 Confidence is a critical element in learning, past studies indicated that confidences correlates positively with performance (Al-Hebaish, 2012) in Olawumi, 2018). This strong and positive correlation was reported in the area of science education (Huang, 2011) in Olawumi, 20180. Confidence is described as state of being certain wither that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself in the process of performing an assigned task (Ruby, 2006). Frels (2011) in Olawumi (2018) observed that students who are actively engaged in the learning process are more confident in the concept taught than those passively listen to lecture and presentation. Theoretical Bases for the Study Laboratory has been described as a room or a building specially built for teaching by demonstration of theoretical phenomenon into practical terms. With the laboratory experience, students will be able to translate what they have read in their texts to practical realities, thereby enhancing their understanding of the learnt concepts (Hamidu, Ibrahim and Mohammed, 2014). Yara (2010) argued the saying that seeing is believing is the effect of using laboratories in the teaching and learning of science and other science related disciplines as students tend to understand and recall what they see more than what they hear. Laboratory is very important and essential to the teaching of science and success of any science course is much dependent on the laboratory provision made for it. Ogunniyi in Yara (2010) said that there is a general consensus among science educators that laboratory, occupies a central position in science instruction. It could be conceptualized as a place, where theoretical work is practicalized and any learning experiences involves students in activities such as observing, counting, measuring, experimenting, recording and carrying out field work.
- 6. 5 By implication, concrete activities experiences are activities which involve doing using apparatus that could enhance students’ achievement in such concepts such as stoichiometry. Hennry (2018) in Ajayi and Ogbeba (2019) describes stoichiometry as an aspect of chemistry that deals with calculations about the masses, or volume of reactant and products involved in a chemical reaction, stoichiometry tell us what quantity of each reactant we need in order to get enough of our desired products. Statement of the Problem The teacher who is invested with responsibility of imparting knowledge to the learners faces many challenges and a thousand and one questions to answer. The teacher is faced with challenges of selecting suitable and relevant teaching and learning materials, appropriate teaching techniques, organization of conducive learning environment and class discipline. Students’ performance in Secondary School Certificate examination in Chemistry had generally fallen below average as seen from the record obtained from NECO and WAEC. (WAEC and NECO Report 2012 – 2017). The situation appears to still remain the same till date. This view was further stressed by the Chief Examiner’s reports of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The poor achievement in chemistry among secondary school students is gradually sliding to alarming state. In quest to improve the performance of students in chemistry most especially at secondary school levels in Nigeria, several views of teaching method have been embarked upon and more attention given to some. The research observed that the instructional strategies chemistry teachers adopt could be responsible for the low performance and self-confidence among the students in this subject. Otor (2013) reported that using an appropriate teaching strategy at a given learning objective enhanced students’ performance. He added that, certain difficult chemistry concepts have also been contributing to poor performance among chemistry students.
- 7. 6 . Objectives of the Study The objectives of the study are to: 1. determine the effects of laboratory instructional strategy on students’ academic achievement in learning stoichiometry. 2. investigate the effects of laboratory instructional strategy on students’ confidence in learning stoichiometry. Research Questions 1. Is there any difference in academic performance of students taught stoichiometry using laboratory instructional strategy and those taught using lecture method? 2. Is there any difference in students’ confidence in stoichiometry between the groups taught using laboratory instructional method and conventional method? Research Hypothesis 1. There is no significant difference in the academic achievement of students taught stoichiometry with laboratory instructional method and conventional method. 2. There is no significant difference between the confidence levels of students taught stoichiometry using laboratory instructional method and conventional method. Methodology Quasi-experimental design was used for this study. A non-randomized control and experimental groups involving a pre-test post-test was applied the experiment lasted for six weeks. The target population of this study was all SS2 chemistry students in Zaria Educational zone, Kaduna state of Nigeria. A sample of 138 male and female chemistry students resenting the total population of 18,138 was used for the study. A research instrument which was validated by experts in chemistry education and measurement and evaluation was used for this study
- 8. 7 namely Chemistry Lesson Performance Test (CLPT). The instrument was pilot tested and its reliability was found to be 0. The CLPT was made of thirty (30) items drawn from the difficult chemistry volumetric analysis. Two research assistants were trained and used for this study. The researcher and the trained assistants were involved in the administration of the research instruments and collection of data. The research hypotheses were tested using statistical analysis of t-test and Mann-Whitney (u-test) at 0.05 level of significance. Results and Discussion Hypothesis One: There is no significant difference in the academic achievement of students taught stoichiometry with laboratory instructional method and conventional method. This hypothesis was analysed using t-test analysis at α= 0.05, as shown on table 1. Table 1: t-test Analysis on Academic Achievement of Students for Experimental and Control Groups Group N Mean S.D Df T-cal T-critical R-value Remark Experimental 78 70.85 11.5 130 5.98 1.96 0.01 Rejected Control 60 60.84 10.03 Significant at P 0.05 level Table 1 result indicated that, t-cal was 5.98 while the P-value was 0.001 which was less than the P 0.05 level. This indicated that, there was significant difference in the achievement of students taught stoichiometry processes using laboratory instructional strategy and those taught using conventional method. The null hypothesis was rejected. Hypothesis Two: There is no significant difference between the confidence levels of students in stoichiometry taught with laboratory instructional method and conventional method. To test H02 Mann Whitney u-test was used to analsyed the post-test interest scores for the two groups (Experimental and Control).
- 9. 8 Table 2: Mann Whitney (u-test) Analysis between the Confidence of Students of Experimental and Control Groups Group N Mean ranks U P Remark Experimental 78 200.84 6.92 0.001 Significant Control 60 184.79 Significant at P 0.05 level The result in table 2 showed that, the experimental group and control group have mean rank values observed wad 200.84 and 194.79 respectively. The Mann Whitney (u-test) value obtained was 16.05 and the p-value observed was 0.001. since, the p-value of 0.001 is less than P 0.05 level, therefore this indicate that, there was a significant difference in the confidence of students taught stoichiometry using laboratory instructional method against their counterpart those taught using conventional method. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected.
- 10. 9 Discussion of Findings The result of table 1 revealed that students taught using laboratory instructional strategy (experimental group) performed better than that students taught using conventional method (control group). This was proved by the mean achievement score of experimental group which is 70.85 while that of control group as 60.84 which has a mean difference of 10.01 in favour of experimental group. The result of table shows that T-cal > T-crit, which showed that the laboratory instructional strategy has positive impact on students’ academic achievement in stoichiometry. Hence, the null hypothesis was therefore rejected. The result of this study buttressed the findings of Ajayi & Ogbeba (2017) and Hadiza (2021), whom earlier suggested that laboratory instructional strategy in general could sustain students’ performance in chemistry in general and could encourage students participation in lessons. This study, thus, asserted that, the adaptation fop laboratory method instructional strategy would lead to a high performance of knowledge, which in turn enhances meaningful learning in chemistry. The result of table 2 revealed that, the experimental group and control group have mean rank values of 200.84 and 184.79 respectively. This indicated that, there was a significant difference in the confidence of students’ taught stoichiometry using laboratory instruction strategy against those taught using lecture method. Pearson, Craft and Harrison (2009) in Olawunmi (2018) discovered that students confident in their abilit6y in science performed higher than those who were not confident. A student who is not confident will struggle to complete assigned work at a high level. Fernandez-Santander (2008) found that if the students worked with a peer tutor or some form of cooperative learning, all students’ participants will have a higher self-concept and satisfaction. Similarly, Parsons et al (2009) added that, when a student’s confidence level increases his or her academic performance in science will also increases.
- 11. 10 The result of this study showed improvement in the performance of students exposed to laboratory method which could be as a result of the interaction among the students while carried out experiments in the laboratory. This is in agreement with the findings of Ajayi and Ogbeba (2017), at different times that there was positive change in the achievement of students in chemistry as a result of the method used by the teacher. Conclusion The study concluded that; students taught stoichiometry using laboratory method of teaching performed better than those taught using conventional method. There was a significant difference in the confidence of students taught stoichiometry using laboratory instructional method against their counterpart those taught using conventional method. This implies that laboratory method of teaching is very rewarding for students in-terms of academic performance. Recommendations On the basis of findings emanating from this study, the following recommendations were made: 1. Since laboratory method of teaching is found to be an effective teaching strategy that enhances performance among chemistry students, chemistry teachers should accept it as one of the strategies they can use in chemistry classrooms. 2. Government should provide physical resources, and curriculum development that will enhance the use of laboratory method.
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