EFFECTS OF LABORATORY METHOD ON STUDENTS’ ACQUISITION OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CHEMISTRY IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was designed to investigate the effects of laboratory method on students’ acquisition of science process skills in senior secondary school Chemistry. To guide this study, three hypotheses were raised and tested. The design of the study was a non-randomised pre-test, post-test control group quasi-experimental design. Six secondary schools were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Three schools were used as the experimental group and the other three as the control group. One hundred and ninety-eight (198) students of six (6) intact classes made up of the sample for the study. The instruments for the study consisted of Chemistry Practical Ability Test (CPAT) and Chemistry Process Skills Rating Scale (CPSRS). The major findings of the study are: the laboratory method enhances students’ acquisition of science process skills in both quantitative and qualitative analyses more than the lecture method, the laboratory method contributed about 74% to students’ acquisition of science process skills and students acquire more science process skills in quantitative analysis than in qualitative analysis. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made among which are that the laboratory method should be used for teaching practical aspects of Chemistry always; Chemistry practical work should commence from senior secondary school one with separate periods per week instead of keeping students till senior secondary school three before such exposure. The conclusion of the study is that the laboratory method enhances students’ acquisition of science process skills in both quantitative and qualitative analyses rather than lectures. The following recommendations were made: the use of laboratory method should be employed in teaching practical aspects of Chemistry always, and a separate period per week should be given for laboratory activities with reference to the scheme of work among others. Article visualizations: