EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF LABORATORY AND DISCUSSION METHODS ON PERFORMANCE AND RETENTION OF CHEMISTRY STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
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- NGN 3000
Background to the Study
Chemistry is a science based discipline offered in the SeniorSecondary School Level of Education in Nigeria; it is one of the core science subject offered by students who want to take to professions in health, engineering and sciences. It is the scientific study of interaction of chemical substances that constitute atoms or the subatomic particles: protons, electron and neutrons. It is an integral part of the science curriculum taught at the SeniorSecondary School as well as higher institutions. At this level, it is often called “General Chemistry” which is an introduction to a wide variety of fundamental concepts that enables students to acquire tools and basic skill useful at the advanced level. One of the objectives of science education is to develop students‟ interest towards science and technology. Chemistry is central to many of the scientific fields of human endeavors: therefore, teaching of Chemistry should be given serious attention. In view of this, Chemistry school curriculum calls for means of its effective implementation in order to achieve the desired objectives for which it is intended. Most nations developed because of the role played by teachers through teaching, hence, teaching must be done in a way students will perceive, understand and retain what has been learnt to reflect higher scores for meaningful application of knowledge at different situation. No discussion of the curriculum is complete without suggestions about methods of its effective implementation. Teaching 2 methods are very vital to the teaching-learning process in schools as it bridges the gap between the teacher and the learners and reduces anxiety. Teaching method is a systematic way of presenting subject matter and learning experiences. It describes how a teacher organizes and present teaching materials to the learners. The methods adopted by the teacher may either promote or hinder effective teaching and learning process. A good and effective teaching method leads to achieving the instructional objectives. However the dominant use of conventional method by Chemistry teachers have begun to be increasingly criticized and this have paved way for wide spread growth of student-centered learning as an alternative method (Roya, Mohammed and Faramarz, 2014). The study of Chemistry is very important, as well as selection of teaching methods so as to enhance proper and effective implementation of Chemistry curriculum at the Secondary Schools level in Kaduna State in particular and in Nigeria in general. There are varieties of teaching methods for teachers to choose from depending on the situation. There are methods that are teacher centered and student-centered ranging from individualized instruction, role play, project, discovery, and so on. Some of these methods of teaching are more appropriate and peculiar to a particular group than others. In the Secondary School curriculum, the recommended methods for teaching Chemistry are: demonstration, project, fieldtrip, laboratory, inquiry, discussion methods and so on. To ensure that all students have the necessary background to learn a subject, teacher can present basic information in a conventional way. The 3 conventional method is a process of verbally delivering a pre-planned body of knowledge to a class in a one way teacher to student style (Petty, 2010). The conventional method is where information passes from the notes of the teacher into the notes of the students, and may not pass through the brains of either. It is where the teacher presents the factual information in a direct and logical way. The conventional method can be effective where the lessons involve a collection of large body of information to be disseminated to a large group of learners in a shortest time with minimal cost. It is one of the most efficient teaching methods for presenting many facts or ideas in a relatively short time. A topic which involves the use of conventional method has to do with elaborating, simplifying, clarification among others, as it allows for easy coverage of the syllabus. The conventional method allows for little or no students‟ participation. The teacher, in this method gives an introduction and a summary ensuring that information is specific to learners. In active learning process, learning is no longer a standard process, but it transforms into a personalized process. It permits students to assimilate and accommodate information; it is the way people learn when they are left alone. Here the skills of problem-solving and critical thinking are developed. The researcher observed that the countries in the world are witnessing rapidly changing developments in information, science and technology in all walks of life. Human face various problems in their lives and they try to find particular ways to solve these problems. In this respect it is important for students to be prepared for the future by facing real-life problems in their learning environment and producing appropriate solutions to these 4 problems. What is expected from education is to enable individuals to become an effective problem solver in their actual lives (Herreid, 2007). The most convenient method with regards to reaching this aim in teaching and learning environment is the laboratory method. The basis of laboratory method is rooted in Dewey‟s „learning by doing and experiencing‟ principle. The laboratory method is a teaching method which is suitable for teaching and learning of Chemistry and other related science subjects at the SeniorSecondary Schools. This method is usually used as a forum for science teachers and their students within a classroom, to interact with materials under controlled condition when seeking answers to problems in nature (Maikano as cited in Maikano, Sale and Amos, 2015). Laboratory method have the potential to develop students understanding of concepts, scientific applications, scientific attitudes, practical skills, scientific habits of mind, understanding how Chemistry and scientists work, ability to formulate scientific questions, ability to form hypotheses, ability to design and conduct investigations, ability to formulate and revise scientific explanations, communication skills and/or ability to defend scientific arguments, interest and motivation skills in teamwork, imagination and creativity, and technical skills in the use of equipment (Kwabena, 2013). Therefore, modern educational trends in education emphasize laboratory activities which include experiments, because the laboratory is physically associated to science topics that entail practical experiments on the one hand, and the accomplishment of the objectives of science teaching on the other. Recent years have witnessed 5 numerous discoveries and inventions through experimentation, which is a vital element of science basis. Experimentation can work effectively only through utilizing the laboratory in the teaching process (Kizito, 2017). The American Chemistry study project emphasized the laboratory work in teaching Chemistry, likewise, the British field project showed great interest in using laboratory to conduct experiments in teaching Chemistry to develop the students manual skills. Discussion method involves the active participation of students in the learning process. Discussion involves two-way communication between participants. In the classroom situation, the teacher and students all participate in the discussion. With the current teaching trends, the teacher act as a facilitator who leads and guides the interactive session. During discussion, the teacher spends some time listening while the students spend sometimes talking. The discussion is therefore, a more active learning experience for students than the conventional method as it helps to foster students involvement in what they are learning, which might contribute to desired attitudinal changes. Discussion may be used in the classroom for the purpose of lesson development, making students apply what they have learnt or to monitor students learning by way of feedback. In discussion, problem is initiated while teacher motivates and encourages students to interact with each other and find solution to problems.
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