ASSESSMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACQUISITION OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS IN VOLUMETRIC ANALYSIS IN ONDO STATE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Approval page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of contents vi
List of tables ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 8
Purpose of the Study 9
Significance of the Study 10
Scope of the Study 12
Research Questions 12
Hypotheses 13
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Framework 14
Diagrammatic representation of the variables 15
Concept of Assessment 16
Science and Science Education 17
Chemistry 20
Science Process Skills 27Chemistry concept (volumetric analysis) 22
Gender 37
Location 39
Theoretical Framework 41
Concepts Theory by Jean Piaget (1960) 41
Hierarchical Theory of Learning by Robert Gagne (1965) 42
Review of Empirical Studies 43
Studies on Science Process Skills 43
Studies on Chemistry concept (volumetric analysis) 48
Studies on gender and location 50
Summary of Literature Review 51
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
Design of the Study 54
Area of the Study 54
Population of the Study 55
Sample and Sampling Techniques 55
Instrument for Data Collection 56
Validation of the Instrument 57
Reliability of the Instrument 57
Method of Data Collection 58
Method of Data Analysis 59
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS 60
Summary of the Major Findings 66
Discussion of Results 67
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATION, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SUMMARY
Conclusions 72
Implications of the Findings 73
Recommendations 74
Limitations of the Study 75
Suggestions for further Study 75
Summary of the Study 76
REFERENCES 78
APPENDICES 89
Appendix A: Corrected Instrument 89
Appendix B: Reliability test 92
Appendix C: Analysis of Data 96
Appendix D: Population and sample distribution table 106
Appendix E: June WASSCE 2014 chemistry practical question 109
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of students on the level of science process skills acquisition in volumetric analysis 60
Table2: Mean scores between male and female students’ acquisition of science process skills in volumetric analysis 62
Table 3: Mean scores between urban and rural students’ acquisition of science process skills in volumetric analysis 63
Table 4: Independent t-test analysis of male and female students’ acquisition of science process skills in volumetric analysis 64
Table 5: Independent t-test analysis of urban and rural students’ acquisition of science process skills in volumetric analysis 65
ABSTRACT
This study ascertained the level of Senior Secondary School Students’ Acquisition of Science Process Skills in Volumetric analysis in Ondo state. Three research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A sample of 240 made up of 130 male students and 110 female students were used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a 20-item rating scale. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test statistic. The findings of the study revealed that the level of senior secondary school students’ acquisition of science process skills in volumetric analysis is low. Also, it was revealed that senior secondary school male students demonstrated high level of science process skills acquisition in volumetric analysis than female students. Likewise, the senior secondary school students from urban location demonstrated high level of science process skills acquisition in volumetric analysis than students from rural location. The study further revealed there is significant difference between urban and rural senior secondary school students’ mean level of acquisition of science process skills in volumetric analysis, among others. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that chemistry teachers should present the science process skills in clearer terms, starting from simple to complex in order for the students to acquire them. Chemistry teachers should direct more attention to female students to make them improve on the science process skills acquisition to enhance their performance in chemistry. Laboratories especially those in the rural areas should be equipped and teachers should adopt methods that will help students acquire the appropriate skills and that chemistry concepts such as volumetric analysis should be practical oriented so that students will do science instead of learning about science, among others.
Background of the Study
Science consists of an organized body of knowledge, an attitudinal disposition, as well as a process and activity. According to Yanpar (2007) science deals with practical application of ideas through manipulation of materials in such a manner leading to discoveries. The contributions of science to overall development of all nations cannot be over emphasized. This is the reason science holds an important position in the curriculum of Nigerian educational system (Federal Republic of Nigeria, (FRN), 2004). Therefore, the teaching and learning of science would require the acquisition of the science process skills.
Science process skills (SPS) are transferable skills that are applicable to many sciences and reflect the behaviours of scientists. According to Ozgelen (2012), science process skills are thinking skills that scientists use to construct knowledge in order to solve problems and formulate results. Sevilay (2011), posits that the mastery of science process skills enable students to conceptualize at a much deeper level, the content they do know and equips them for acquiring content knowledge in the future. The skills facilitate learning in physical sciences and ensure active participation of students in practical situations.
The science process skills form the foundation for scientific methods. According to Ibe (2004), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) came up with fifteen (15) science process skills. These include: observing, communicating, classifying, measuring, inferring, controlling variables, formulating models, questioning, designing experiment, hypothesizing, interpreting data, defining operationally, using number, using space/time relationship and predicting. However, this study will be concerned with five science process skills out of the fifteen proposed by AAAS. The reason for this choice is in line with Ajunwa (2000) who argued that science process skills, such as measuring, observing, experimenting, communicating and classifying are crucial for the development of a meaningful understanding of scientific concepts, propositions and for a meaningful use of scientific procedures for problem solving. Therefore, these skills seem to be very important individually as well as when they are integrated together.