HANDS-ON-ACTIVITIES, LECTURE METHOD AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN MKPAT ENIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study investigated the effects of hands-on-activities, lecture method and students’ academic performance in Chemistry in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Three research questions and corresponding hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A pretest posttest quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 1740 Senior Secondary one (SS 1) Chemistry students in 16 public secondary schools of 2023/2024 session in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 77 Secondary School One Chemistry students was selected as sample for the study. In each of the selected schools, one SS 1 intact class was used to draw sample for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the two schools used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was Chemistry Performance Test (CPT). The instrument was validated by a Chemistry lecturer and a measurement and evaluation expert in the Faculty of Education. The scores obtained were analyzed using Kuder- Richardson 20 formula and a reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. The data obtained from the instrument for data collection were analysed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test statistical tools. The result of finding revealed that there is statistically significant difference in the mean performance score of students in Chemistry when taught the concept of particulate nature of matter using hands-on-activities and lecture method in favour of hands-on-activities. The result of finding also revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female students in Chemistry when taught the concept of particulate nature of matter using hands-on-activities and lecture method. It was concluded that secondary school students performed well when taught the concept of particulate nature of matter using hands-on-activities method than when taught using lecture method. It was therefore recommended among others that, Chemistry teachers should be encouraged to use hands-on-activities method in teaching in senior secondary schools since it improves students’ academic performance more than lecture method.