EFFECTS OF CONTEXT-BASED AND PROBLEM-SOLVING TEACHING APPROACHES ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN MKPAT ENIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

ABSTRACT The study investigated the effects of context-based and problem-solving teaching approaches on students’ academic performance in chemistry in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area". To actualize this, three research questions were raised and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi-experimental design, pre-test and post-test design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of one thousand seven hundred and forty (1740) senior secondary two (SS2) chemistry students in the public secondary schools in the study area. A total sample size of 102 SS2 students (50 males and 52 females) drawn-from 2 randomly selected co-educational secondary schools in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State was used for the study. In each of the selected schools, intact class of SS2 students were used. The instrument titled Types of Chemical Reactions Performance Test (TCRPT) were used for data collection. The instrument was tested for validity and internal consistency using Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (K-R20). Reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. The data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation and independent t-test. The results indicated that there is statistically significant difference in the mean performance scores of chemistry students taught the concept of types of chemical reactions using context-based and problem-solving teaching approaches in favor of Context-based teaching approach. There is no significant difference between male and female students when taught types of chemical reactions using context-based and problem-solving teaching approaches. It was therefore recommended among others that chemistry teachers should use context-based teaching approach in teaching types of chemical reactions and other chemistry related concepts.