EFFECTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND ANALOGY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN CHEMISTRY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Approval page iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgments v
Table of contents vi
List of appendices ix
List of Tables x Abstract
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 10
Purpose of the Study 10
Significance of the Study 11
Scope of the Study 13
Research Questions 13
Hypotheses 14
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 15
Conceptual Framework 16
Chemistry 17
Achievement 21
Interest 23
Teaching Methods 26
The Concept of Cooperative Learning 31
The Concept of Analogy 41
Gender 47
Theoretical Framework 48
Albert Bandura Social Learning Theory 49
Wolfgang Kohler Cognitive Field Theory 49
Empirical Studies 51
Studies on Achievement and Interest 51
Studies on Cooperative Learning 52
Studies on Analogy 55
Studies on Gender 57
Summary of Literature Review 59
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD 61
Design of the Study 61
Area of the Study 62
Population of the Study 62
Sample and Sampling Techniques 63
Instruments for data Collection 63
Validation of Instruments 63
Reliability of the Instruments 64
Experimental Procedure 65
Method of data Analysis 65
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 67
Research Question one 67
Hypothesis one 67
Research Question two 68
Hypothesis two 69
Research Question Three 70
Hypothesis Three 71
Research Question four 71
Hypothesis four 73
Hypothesis five 73
Hypothesis six 74
Summary of Findings 74
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, AND SUMMARY 76
Effect of Teaching Methods on Students’ Achievement Chemistry 76
Effect of Gender on Students’ Achievement in Chemistry 77
Effect of Teaching Methods on Students’ Interest in Chemistry 77
Effect of Gender on Students’ Interest in Chemistry 78
Interaction Effects Between Gender and Instructional Strategy on
Students’ mean Achievement Score in Chemistry 78
Interaction Effects Between Gender and Instructional Strategy on
Students’ mean Interest Score in Chemistry 79
Conclusions 79
Educational Implications of the Study 80
Limitations 81
Recommendations 81
Suggestions for Further Study 82
Summary of the Study 83
REFERENCES 86
APPENDICES 95
A: Scheme of work 95
B: Table of Specification 96
C: Chemistry Achievement test After Validation 97 D: Marking Scheme for the Chemistry Achievement tes 100
E: Chemistry Interest Scale After Validation 101
F: Computation of Reliability test 103
G: Validity Result of Factor Analysis 105
H: Sample size of SSS 2 Students 108
I: Request for Validation 109
J: Lesson plan 110
K: Results of Data Analyzed 132
LIST OF TABLES
1: Mean and Standard Deviation of Pre-test and Post-test Achievement’s
Score of Students Taught Chemistry Using Cooperative Learning and
Those Taught Using Analogy. 67
2: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) of Students’ Achievement
in Chemistry. 68
3: Mean and Standard Deviation of Pre-test and Post-test Achievement
Score of male and Female Students’ Taught Chemistry Using
Cooperative Learning and Those Taught Using Analogy. 68
4: Mean and Standard Deviation of Pre-test and Post-test Interest
Scores of Students Taught Using Cooperative Learning and Those
Taught Using Analogy. 70
5: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) of Students’ Interest in
Chemistry. 71
6: Mean and Standard Deviation of Pre-test and Post-test Interest
Scores of male and Female Students’ Taught Chemistry Using
Cooperative Learning and Those Taught Using Analogy. 72
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effects of Cooperative learning and Analogy Methods on Secondary School Students achievement and interest in chemistry. The study which adopted a quasi-experimental design was conducted in four secondary schools in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State. Out of these schools, two schools were exposed to the use of Cooperative learning (experimental 1) while the remaining two used Analogy method (experimental 2). One experiment was meant to control the other. The sample comprised 253 senior secondary school two (SSS2) chemistry students. The instruments used were chemistry achievement test (CAT) and chemistry interest scale (CIS) which were developed by the researcher and subjected to face, content and construct validation. While the reliability of the (CAT) was established using Kudder – Richardson formula 20 (K-R) 20 and 0.83 was obtained, the (CIS) reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s Alpha method and 0.84 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at P<0.05. The result of the study revealed that both cooperative learning and analogy methods brought about significant shift in achievement and interest of SSS2 chemistry students. The researcher therefore recommended that chemistry teachers should employ cooperative learning and analogy methods of teaching in teaching their students for better understanding and achievement. In addition, other constructivist based teaching methods should be introduced in the pre-service teachers’ programme while the teachers in service should be upgraded through workshops and seminars on the effective use of these methods for the improvement of chemistry education and chemistry related courses in the Nigeria institution of higher learning.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Science holds a great potential for mankind in terms of providing him with the means of reducing life’s burden on earth. Science plays profound roles in the life of individuals and the nation. Broadly, science can be defined as a body of knowledge, which is acquired through observation and systematic experimentation (Ezeudu, 2011). Science is an important enterprise. It is a way of using human intelligence to achieve better understanding of nature and natural phenomena. Science is a systematized co-ordinated knowledge based upon the accurate observation of facts and the relation of these to the general principles of laws. According to Aniodoh (2002), Science enables man as an individual to take rational decision, create a just society and understand the environment. It helps to improve an individual’s life expectancy and provides him means of tackling problems of existence such as disease and hunger. The author also emphasized that contributions of science could be seen in the area of our modern health, automation, genetic engineering; gene cloning, agriculture, transportation, building and construction. The positive overall impacts of science on the life of individuals and national economy explain why most countries including Nigeria are making huge investment in the field of science today.
Science is divided into two main branches viz Biological sciences and physical sciences. The biological sciences deal with living things, while the physical sciences are concerned with properties of non-living matter. Chemistry being a physical science is one of the main branches of pure science. These branches of science are being taught by science educators using scientific processes and educational principles.