Topic: EFFECTS OF COOPERATIVE AND LABORATORY METHOD ON PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS IN CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Education is the greatest tool for national development and is what makes human beings the greatest specie of all living creatures on earth. Based on this, science and technology play important role toward this human success and it is therefore the keys to development for every individual, community or the nation at large. The basis of every scientific and technological development is education, and the history of teaching science subjects in Jigawa state secondary schools can be traced back to the former Kano state from where Jigawa was created. Learning of science subjects like chemistry, biology and physics at secondary school level served as the foundation which prepares students to take career in science. This is the basis of producing science teachers, medical doctors, engineers, laboratory technologies and so forth that are expected to contribute their quotas towards the development of their society. However, Jigawa State is regarded as one of the educationally disadvantaged states in Nigeria. It has one of the lowest teacher/pupil ratios and one of the lowest school enrolment figure, compared to its neighbours in the North –west region. According to recent statistics on education parameters/surveys, less than 70% of boys in the state of school age attend schools, while less than 50% of girls of school age attend school (Nagado, 2016). The state also has one of the poorest numbers of classrooms, compared to other states in the North-west with less than 10,000 classrooms in 2015, the ratio of classes versus pupils is so poor that 67 pupils use a class at primary level, with 61 per class at junior secondary school level and 44 students per class at senior secondary school level. By the end of 2015, the number of teachers in senior secondary schools in the state is so pathetic with the schools having a little more than 2,000 (Nagado, 2016). It appears that only few teachers are committed to the business and mostly use traditional teaching method (lecture method). Moreover, there are consistent reports of students‘low performance in science (chemistry inclusive) in Nigeria (Olatoye & Afuwape, 2004). Jigawa state as one of the thirty-six state in Nigeria is not an exception to the above mentioned trend. Looking at secondary school qualifying examination in Jigawa state, the data obtained showed that out of 856 students that sat for the examination in 2013, a total of 339 (39.6%) pass at credit level while 517 (60.4%) fail the exam. Also out of 706 students that sat for the examination in 2014, a total of 379 (53.7%) pass at credit level while 327 (46.3%) fail the examination (appendix G). Based on the information presented, the study intends to provide some possible solutions through the use of alternative instructional strategies. Also, to find out which of the strategies will be more effective in promoting performance and retention when compared to the traditional (lecture) method among secondary school two (SSII) chemistry students. It is against this background that this study intends to determine the effects of cooperative and laboratory method on performance and retention among chemistry secondary schools students in Jigawa state, Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Chemistry is one of the science subjects offered in senior secondary schools which form the basis of future scientists and technologists. It appears that chemistry is considered by many of the secondary school students as a difficult subject and majority of the teachers use the traditional lecture method often than the alternative instructional strategies. This may be a reason for students‘poor performance in the subject. Ajewole and Ivowi cited in Goje (2014) stressed that over the years, results of studies have shown that students have continue to perform poorly in science, chemistry inclusive. This is due to so many reasons among which include the choice of the instructional strategies, the non –availability of resource materials, parents support towards education of their children, over loaded curriculum, lack of clearly stated framework for instructional strategies, poor classroom management and lack of scientific equipment in the laboratories usually causes poor performance in chemistry (Madugu & Shuaibu in Abdullahi, 2014). This implies that lack of good instructional strategy employed by chemistry teachers may cause low performance in teaching and learning of chemistry in secondary schools. In related development, the lecture method is also known to cause lack of interest and poor performance in science as opined by Njoku (2007). In the same vein, science teachers are mostly limited to exclusively adopting this method by telling, reciting and testing of information which is regarded sterile as it does not convey either the meaning or intent of science. Akpan in Shehu (2016) specifically stated that lecture method is the method dominating science teaching in Nigerian Secondary Schools. Therefore, the need for a better instructional strategy like cooperative and laboratory method is necessary. Mari, and Okebukola, cited in Abdullahi (2014) have called for a change from lecture method in teaching Chemistry. Cooperative and laboratory method are therefore very important aspect of student -centered learning. Student learns best when they can work together, discuss what they are doing, help each other and learn from each other. At present student are not being given the opportunity to do this in schools (David, 2010). Therefore, the need for change in paradigm is necessary for better chemistry performance in our schools. Moreover, it seems that secondary school students perceived science subjects as difficult. To be specific, the teaching and learning of chemistry is widely perceived as a difficult subject because of its specialized language, mathematical and abstract conceptual nature and the amount of content to be learnt. The prevailing teaching practices (the traditional approach) do not actively involve students in the learning process where by making them to be passive listeners. Studies have shown that the use of cooperative and laboratory instructional strategies is a way of improving quality instruction and subsequently improved students‘academic performance (Stephen & Donna; Teresa & Gregory, cited in Goje, 2014). Also from the results of chemistry qualifying examinations (see appendix G), it can be noticed that there is poor performance among chemistry students in Jigawa state. To that effect, this study attempts to investigate the effect of cooperative and methods instructional strategies on performance and retention among chemistry secondary school students in Jigawa state.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of cooperative and laboratory method on performance and retention of students in chemistry in secondary school in Jigawa state, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to: 1. Find out the effect of cooperative learning strategy on academic performance of students in chemistry when compared to conventional method; 2. Ascertain the effect of cooperative learning strategy on students‘ retention ability in chemistry; 3. Investigate the effect of laboratory method on students‘ academic performance in chemistry when compared to conventional method; 4. Determine the effect of laboratory method on students‘ retention ability in chemistry; 5. Compare students‘ performance taught with cooperative strategy, laboratory method and conventional method; and 6. Compare the retention ability of students taught chemistry with cooperative strategy, laboratory method and lecture method.

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