Effects of Problematic Analogy Strategy on Students' Achievement and Retention in Balancing Chemical Equation Concepts of Secondary School Chemistry.

Abstract

This study determined the effects of problematic analogy on achievement and retention of senior secondary students in balancing chemical equation in Bosso Local Government Area, Niger State. Quasi-experimental design of pretest, posttest, control group, non-randomize nonequivalent type was adopted for the study. Four null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Simple random sampling technique was used to select four secondary schools from Bosso Local Government Area and eighty-one (81) SSI students offering Chemistry as participants. Intact class was used. Chemical Equation Achievement Test (CEAT) in form of thirty multiple choice questions was used as instrument for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings of tge study shows that there is a significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught using balancing of chemical equation using problematic analogy method and those taught using conventional (lecture) method in favor of those taught using problematic analogy method. There was also significant difference in the mean retention scores of students taught balancing of chemical equation using problematic analogy methd and those taught using conventional method. Gender was not a significant factor in the students' achievement as well as retention in balancing of chemical equations. It was recommended among others that: science educators and curriculum planners should incorporate innovative strategies such as problematic analogy strategy into the teaching of chemistry concepts in secondary schools.