CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Engagement in meaningful learning is a universal theme advanced in literature on student’s achievement. Integration of instruction into real-world problems is a second emerging theme. What students learn is greatly influenced by how they are taught. Instructors teaching agricultural curricula have implemented a wide variety of teaching methods, which fit different niches within the agricultural classroom (Allen et al., 2010).

        Some methods of teaching are completely out of phase with background and local environments of the learners particularly in Nigeria. Furthermore, some methods are foreign in nature and have no bearing with the Nigeria culture, and purely derived from euro-centric culture (Achor et al., 2009).

        The study will focus on the effectiveness of discussion and demonstration on students’ achievement and retention in chemistry. The act of demonstration with instructional materials and effectiveness of discussion during chemistry class is very important to enhance the students’ achievement in learning chemistry since images stick more than words in the mind of students.

Chemistry is a subject that has to do with chemicals with different colours and textures; take for instance a chemical like copper which is bluish in colour can stick properly in the mind of students when the students see the chemical. A chemistry teacher can tell the students the colour of a chemical, at the end of the day most students tends to forget most of this colours.  If schools could adopt various teaching methods, they may tend to produce better students than those schools that teach students without instructional materials and teaching methods.

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

The effectiveness of discussion and demonstration method have improve the academic achievement and the level of retention of most students in learning chemistry; but the case is different with some schools in Lagos because of lack of infrastructure such as lack of constant supply of electricity, lack of good roads, poor laboratory, dilapidated school library and lack of experienced teachers and lack of instructional materials for demonstration during teaching. The federal government of Nigeria through the Nigerian union of teachers has put in so much effort to see to the development of most of the schools in Lagos. Finally there have been series of study on teaching methods but not even a single study has been carried on a comparative study of the effectiveness of discussion versus demonstration on students’ achievement and retention in chemistry.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The main aim of the research work is to carry out a comparative study of the effectiveness of discussion versus demonstration on students’ achievement and retention in chemistry. Other specific objectives of the study are:

1.  to determine the difference in the rate of assimilation and retention among student in chemistry under effectiveness of discussion and demonstration

2.  to determine if the effect of the effectiveness of discussion and demonstration on student achievement and retention in chemistry is gender sensitive

3.  to investigate on the factors affecting students achievement and retention in chemistry under the use of effectiveness of discussion and demonstration methods

4.  to determine the difference in the performance of students in chemistry under the use of effectiveness of discussion and demonstration methods

5.  to proffer solution to the above stated problems

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives of the study. The research questions for the study are:

1.  What is the difference in the rate of assimilation and retention among student in chemistry under effectiveness of discussion and demonstration?

2.  Is the effect of the effectiveness of discussion and demonstration on student achievement and retention in chemistry is gender sensitive?

3.  What are the factors affecting students achievement and retention in chemistry under the use of effectiveness of discussion and demonstration methods?

4.  What is the difference in the performance of students in chemistry under the use of effectiveness of discussion and demonstration methods?

1.5 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis 1

H0: the level of achievement and retention in chemistry under effectiveness of discussion and demonstration on student is not gender sensitive

H1: the level of achievement and retention in chemistry under effectiveness of discussion and demonstration on student is gender sensitive

Hypothesis 2

H0: there is no significant difference in the rate of assimilation and retention among student in chemistry under effectiveness of discussion and demonstration

H1: there is significant difference in the rate of assimilation and retention among student in chemistry under effectiveness of discussion and demonstration

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The study on a comparative study of the effectiveness of discussion versus demonstration on students’ achievement and retention in chemistry will be of immense benefit to the entire chemistry students, teachers and other researchers as the findings of the study will educate the above population on the various concepts of effectiveness of discussion and demonstration, the factors affecting student achievement and retention in chemistry and the most effective method of teaching for high academic achievement in secondary schools. Finally the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge in this field of study and provide a basis for further research

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The study on a comparative study of the effectiveness of discussion versus demonstration on students’ achievement and retention in chemistry will cover on the various concepts of effectiveness of discussion and demonstration, the factors affecting student achievement and retention in chemistry and the most effective method of teaching for high academic achievement in secondary schools.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Demonstration: demonstration in accordance to the study is an act of showing that something is in existence

Academic Achievement: refers to a student’s success in meeting short- or long-term goals in education. In the big picture, academic achievement means completing high school or earning a college degree.

Retention: the action of absorbing and continuing to hold a lecture by students in chemistry.