Inquiry based practical instruction and its effect on students' academic performance in secondary school chemistry in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya
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Date
2023-05
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Inquiry based practical is meant (o promote meaningful learning in science subjects.
The aim of the study was to ascertain the academic performance differences in
Chemistry between leamers exposed to Inquiry Based Chemistry Practicals(IBCP)
and those taught using conventional practical approach. The specific objectives were
first, to determine the difference in academic performance of learners taught using
integration of inquiry based instruction in Chemistry practicals. Sccondly, to compare
the quality of IBCP on students’ academic performance in secondary schools.
Thirdly. to determine the frequency of using IBCP on students’ academic
performance. The last objective was, to establish whether there were gender
differences in academic performance of learners in Chemistry when taught using
inquiry based instruction, The research adopted quasi-experimental based on pretest and post- test arrangement. There were 110 Secondary Schools in TharakaNithi County. Four Secondary Schools were purposively sampled and they included
two Girls' and two Boys' Secondary Schools. The four Schools were assigned
randomly to either Control or experimental groups. The study sample comprised
182 Form Three Chemistry learners from the selected Public secondary schools. The
study involved two Schools in the experimental groups who were exposed to the
treatment and two control groups that were not exposed to inquiry-based Chemistry
practical on the topic “Qualitative analysis™ for a period of six weeks. This topic
involves identification of cations and anions in compounds. Data collecting
instrument were; Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT); pre-test and post-lest,
Chemistry observation schedules and interview guide. The pre-test CAT and post-test
CAT were administered before and afler exposure to both experimental and control
groups respectively. A pilot test was done using the instruments that were used in the
actual study in two Secondary Schools in Tharaka-Nithi County. The Schools were
assumed to have the same characteristics as those that were sampled. The study
assumed that the findings could be useful not only to the curriculum developers but
may also provide insights to rescarchers in science education. The data was keyed in
SPSS version 26, reports were generated and analyzed using both descriptive and
inferential statistics. The differences between the means of the two groups were
analyzed using t-test, The statistical significance was tested at @ = 0.05.The findings
of the study indicated that the students who were instructed through IBCP auained
higher scores than their counterparts who instructed through CPW. The study further
revealed that the female students attained higher scores than male students when
both were instructed through inquiry based Chemistry practical approach. The
study recommends the use of inquiry-based approach by teachers of Chemistry to
cenhance the academic performance of students. The study further recommends that
curriculum developers in secondary schools should emphasize teaching through
inquiry-based approach.
Description
A Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Education (Science Education) in the school of Education of Kenyatta University