SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS ACQUIRED BY SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CHEMISTRY STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

The study was aimed at ascertaining the science process skills acquired by senior secondary school chemistry students in Enugu Education Zone. The sample was made up of sixty (60) secondary three (SSIII) students from six (6) secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu state. The design for the study was a descriptive survey. The science process skills investigated were observation, experimenting, controlling variables, measuring,, recording, communication and inference using quantitative and qualitative analysis chemistry practical activities. The instrument for data collection was the practical chemistry skills rating scale (PCSRS) adapted by the researcher and validated by science educators in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The instrument contained fifty four (54) items consisting of twenty seven (27) quantitative analysis items (QTA) and twenty seven (27) qualitative analysis items (QLA).

Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was used to establish the inter-rater reliability index. The overall coefficients of concordance for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the items were 0.796 and 0.803 respectively. The estimate of internal consistency of the instrument was done using Cronbach’s alpha. The overall internal consistency reliability coefficients for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the items were 0.842 and 0.632 respectively. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Z-test and ANOVA. It was found that of the seven skills investigated students had low level of acquisition in four skills. These are: controlling variables, recording, communication and inference. Gender and school type had no significant influence. School location had significant influence in favour of urban. Among others, it was recommended that pedagogical inspectors, principals and school administrators should be strict on the maximum use the science laboratory by science teachers.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

All the nations of the world accord priority attention to science and technology in their development efforts. The reason for according such priority attention to science and technology is that it is a road map to great economic improvement and equally serves the only means to national development (Ajewole, 2010). In the age of fast-developing technology, it has become necessary for all countries of the world, especially the developing ones, to organize and improve the teaching of science that helps in understanding of the fundamental base to develop technology. Technology is the successful application of scientific ideas, principles, laws and theories for the purposes of developing services as well as for improving technology itself (Agboola & Oloyede, 2007). Science benefits technology at the same time that technology enhances our understanding of science.

Okeke (2007), defined science as a systematic process of obtaining verifiable knowledge and experimentation. Nwosu (2001), defined science as both an organized body of knowledge and a process of finding out knowledge. Science is a discipline, a body of knowledge about the universe, the structure and reactions of matter, the conservation and transfer of energy, the interaction between living things and their environment (Ezeudu, 2011). Therefore, all the definitions above center on science as systematic study of the environment or nature through observation and experimentation leading to accumulation of an organized body of knowledge useful for problem solving in the environment. According to Mbah and Leghara (2008), science is a two way activity that involves “product” (the knowledge and outcomes of Science) and “process” (the skills and scientific procedures of investigation). Science can be categorized into two dimensions – the process and the product dimensions. The process of science involves the methods of approach employed and activities engaged in by scientists in order to arrive at a product. These include observation, classification, measurement, inferring, communication, predicting, controlling variables, formulating models, formulation of hypothesis, manipulating, interpretation of data, counting/number relations, experimenting, recording of data and making operational definitions (Akinbobola & Afolabi, 2010).