Trend Of Performances In Chemistry Among Final Year Secondary School Students

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TREND OF PERFORMANCES IN CHEMISTRY AMONG FINAL YEAR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Performances

ABSTRACT

This project work looked into the performance of Senior Secondary Students in the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in Chemistry.

Using five Secondary Schools that were randomly selected from secondary schools in Orlu Local Government Area. The SSCE results between the period of 2005 and 2009 were compiled and analyzed using percentage and mean values.

The findings of the study showed that the performance of the students in Chemistry is poor and it does not follow a particular trend for all the schools selected for the study.

The performance depends on the school and year in consideration.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                                 i

Certification                                                             ii

Dedication                                                               iii

Acknowledgement                                                    iv

Abstract                                                                   v

Table of contents                                                     vi-viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION                           1

1.1   Background of the Study                                 1-3

1.2   Statement of the Problem                                3-4

1.3   Purpose of the Study                                               4-5

1.4   Significance of the Study                                 5

1.5   Scope                                                               5-6

1.6   Research Questions                                         6

1.7   Hypothesis                                                       7

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1   Values and goals of science education             8-11

2.2   School curriculum and science education               11-13

2.3   Need for human resources in the teaching

of chemistry                                                     14-15

2.4   Students attitude towards science                   15-19

2.5   The disposition of science teachers                 19-21

2.6   Methodology of science teaching                      21-25

2.7   Science technology and society (STS)                      26-28

2.8   Summary of the review                                    28-29

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURE

3.1   Research Design                                              30

3.2   Area of Study                                                   30-31

3.3   Population of Study                                         31

3.4   Sample and Sampling Techniques                   31-32

3.5   Instrument for data collection                          33

3.6   Validation and Reliability of Instrument          33

3.7   Method of data collection                                 33

3.8   Analysis of Data                                               34

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

4.1   Presentation of Data                                                35-39

4.2   Analysis of Data                                               39-40

4.3   Research Questions                                         40

4.3.1 Research question  1                                      40-41

4.3.2 Research question 2                                               41-42

4.3.3 Research question  3                                      42

4.3.4 Research Question 4                                       42-43

4.4   Test of hypotheses                                           44

4.4.1 Hypothesis 1                                                   44-49

4.4.2 Hypothesis 2                                                   49-51

4.4.3 Hypothesis 3                                                   52-56

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1   Discussion of the findings                                       57-58

5.2   Conclusion                                                      58-59

5.3   Educational Implications                                 59-60

5.4   Recommendation                                             60-62

5.5   Limitation of the Study                                    62

5.6   Suggestions for further research                      62

5.7   Summary                                                         62-63

References                                                       64-66

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is a useful venture; the development and advancement of any nation depends on the level of education of its people. Education offers every individual in the society, opportunity to acquire skills, interests and knowledge for performing socially and economically useful work, beneficial to him and the society.

The federal and state governments of Nigeria place a high premium on education whereby they recognize it as a weapon against ignorance, diseases, squalor and poverty and also as a means of raising an enlightened and industrious citizenry and a prosperous nation.

Since the foundation of the world was laid millions of years ago, man has embraced the ultimate challenge of enhancing his environment through science and technology. Nations are categorized as advanced on developed, developing and under developed, based on their level of education and subsequently, science and technology. Science is fast giving grounds in Nigeria. Students are encouraged by the government and parents to offer science subjects in the school.

Chemistry is a science subject which involves investigating  and understanding the substances that make up the environment. It is concerned with the ways in which substances interact with each other to form different substances or compounds. There is a concrete relationship between science and chemistry. Hence, chemistry is a very important branch of science in which much of our daily lives are governed and attached by the results and applications of science.

It is generally accepted that we all live in a world of science and to understand some of the principles involved, a study of chemistry is advocated.

Chemistry is one of the core subjects, science students have to pass to get admission into tertiary institution where they can pursue courses in different areas of science and technology.

Medical doctors, engineers, and even agriculturists all need to study chemistry at one stage or another in them preparation for their chosen profession.

To this end, the performance of the students will determine what courses they can pursue and in effect, the degree of development and advancement of the nation.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In Nigeria, most secondary schools have been observed and studies have shown some shortcomings in the availability of human and material resources in aiding the effective teaching and learning processes in chemistry.

Based on this fact, “the teaching of chemistry as a science in the secondary school is faced with a number of problems, the basic of it being the availability of human resources. In order that learning may be effective, teaching also has to be effective and for this reason, one would expect that the learning process should receive a greater attention than any other thing else. (Adeniyi 1981).

The problems facing the learning processes in chemistry have gone a long way in affecting the performances of students in the subject, which a core science subject. These also have been responsible for the poor performances of science students in entrance examinations into tertiary institutions. The interest students shown in the science subjects can be said to be dwindling and many now turn to commercial subjects.

This can have adverse effects on the advancement of science and technology in this country. This study therefore seeks to look into the trend in the performance of students in chemistry, especially, based on their senior secondary certificate examination (SSCE) results from 2005-2009.

1.3   PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study is aimed objectively at the following;

–       It tends to investigate the trend in the performances of the final year senior secondary students. The senior secondary certificate examinations (SSCE) selected secondary schools in Orlu local government area is examined.

–       It will also distinguish between the performances of boys and girls in each school. There will be a comparison in the performances of all the students considered.

–       It will also investigate the factors responsible for the upward and downward trend in performances in the selected schools. The researcher will discuss, among other variables, the quantity and quality of chemistry teachers of the five selected secondary schools in Imo State.

1.4   SCOPE

The study will cover (5) five selected secondary schools in Orlu local government area. The senior secondary certificate examination (SSCE) results of students from selected schools from the local government area will be used for the study. The subject examination on this study is chemistry. The study will consider the results of students from the selected schools from 2004 to 2008.

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

If there will be improvement and development in any system, there is the need for communication. A complete communication must include feedback; that is the response, which the source gets from the receiver.

In the educational system, the performance of the students can serve as feedback to the system. The findings of the study will put every educational manager and chemistry teacher in a place where the teaching chemistry will be evaluated. The possible factors responsible for the trend can be looked into a solution can be proffered.

Beneficiaries from this study will include the students, teacher (science teachers) educational institutions (both secondary and tertiary), and the society at large.

1.6      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

–       What is the trend in the performances of students in chemistry in five selected secondary schools in Orlu local government area?

–       To what extent to student pass or fail chemistry in these selected schools?

–       What is the mean performances of boys and girl in the sampled schools?

–       Are there enough qualified teachers for the teaching of chemistry in the school?

1.7   HYPOTHESES

Ho:   There is no significant difference in the  performance of the students from the selected schools in Orlu local government area.

Ho2:  There is no significant difference in the mean performance of the selected secondary schools in Orlu Local Government Area, in Chemistry.

Ho3: There is significant difference in the performance of

male and female students…

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