HANDS-ON-ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION TEACHING STRATEGIES AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN ETINAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study investigated the effect of hands-on-activities and discussion teaching strategies on students’ academic performance in Chemistry in Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Three research questions and corresponding hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The area of the study was Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. A pretest posttest quasi-experimental research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of 1667 Senior Secondary one (SS 1) Chemistry students in 11 public secondary schools 2022/2023 session in Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 99 Secondary School One 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 0.79 was obtained. The data obtained from the instrument for data collection were analysed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test statistical tools. The finding revealed that there is statistically significant difference in the mean performance score of students in Chemistry when taught the concept of gas laws using hands-on-activities and discussion strategies in favour of hands-on-activities strategy. The 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 gas laws using hands-on-activities and discussion teaching strategy. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that secondary school students performed well when taught the concept of gas laws using hands-on-activities teaching strategy than when taught using discussion strategy. It was therefore recommended among others that, Chemistry teachers should be encouraged to use hands-on-activities teaching strategy in teaching in senior secondary schools since it improves students’ academic performance more than discussion strategy.