PROJECT CODE: 000041

COMPARISON OF LABORATORY TECHNIQUE AND DEMONSTRATION

METHOD IN TEACHING CHEMISTRY IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
IN ETHIOPE EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE

TABLE OF CONTENT
Cover page ---------------------------------------------------------------------Title page------------------------------------------------------------------Certification ---------------------------------------------------------------Dedication --------------------------------------------------------------------Acknowledgements ---------------------------------------------------------Table of Content -----------------------------------------------------------Abstract --------------------------------------------------------------------CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the Study --------------------------------------------------1.1Statement of the Problem ------------------------------------------------1.2 Research Questions ------------------------------------------------------1.3 Research Hypotheses -------------------------------------------------------1.4 Purpose of the Study ---------------------------------------------- ------1.5 Significance of the Study ---------------------------------------------1.6 Scope and Delimitation of the Study -------------------------------1.7 Definition of Terms ---------------------------------------------------CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Chemistry Curriculum for Secondary Schools
2.2 Methods of Teaching Science

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2.3 Gender, Teaching Methods and Academic Achievement

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2.4 Empirical Evidence on Methods of Teaching Science and Performance 27
2.5 Summary of Review of Related Literature
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CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES

3.1Research Design ----------------------------------------------------------------31
3.2 Population of the Study --------------------------------------------------------32
3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique ---------------------------------------------- 32
3.4 Instrument for Data Collection ------------------------------------------------- 33
3.5 Validation of the Instrument---------------------------------------------------33
3.6 Reliability of the Instrument --------------------------------------------------34
3.7 Treatment and Data Collection -----------------------------------------------34
3.8 Method of Data Analysis ------------------------------------------------------36
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.0 Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------38
4.1 Presentation of Result --------------------------------------------------------38
4.2 FINDINGS -------------------------------------------------------------------------51
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------53

5.1 Summary of the study ------------------------------------------------------53
5.2Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 55
5.3 Recommendations of the Study ---------------------------------------------- 57
5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies -------------------------------------------- 57
References ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59
Appendix 1---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62

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ABSTRACT
This study is designed to investigate the effect of misconception in learning
chemistry by secondary school students in Ethiope East Local Government Area of
Delta State. To achieve this purpose four research questions and four hypotheses
were stated to guide the study. The answers to the problem identified were
answered through an Achievement Test in concepts in chemical boding. The
Achievement Test will be used to collect data from 240 chemistry students in SS1
and SS2. The data collected will be analyzed using frequency count and
percentages for the research questions and t-test for the hypotheses at 0.05 level of
significance. Based on the analyzed data the following findings were made: students
taught with laboratory method perform better than those taught with demonstration method
in the topic separation of mixtures in chemistry and the difference in mean was significant,
students taught with laboratory method perform better than those taught with demonstration
method and the least were those taught by lecture method the topic separation of mixtures
in chemistry, male students taught with laboratory method perform better than those taught
with demonstration method in the topic separation of mixtures in chemistry and difference
in mean was significant, female students taught with laboratory method perform better than
those taught with demonstration method in the topic separation of mixtures in chemistry,
male students taught with demonstration method perform better than female students taught
with the same method in the topic separation of mixtures in chemistry but the difference in
mean between the two groups was not significant. From the findings some
recommendations were made.

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1

Background of the study

The greatest innovations affecting Nigeria today and will continue to affect

us in the future is technology. From agricultural produce to manufacturing, from

medical advances to the protection of the environment, infrastructure development
to industrialization even from the nature to leisure, technology has come to define
the way we live. It separates the developed world from the developing; and the
skilled from the unskilled or the semi-skilled. It bestowed riches on nations that
have it and poverty to those that do not have it (Khawla and Emuas, 2006)
According to Nnaji (2010), there is no substitute to science and technology
as the primary driver for socio-economic development. But unfortunately, while
the west and Far East are making tremendous forays in the technological
advancement, Africa especially sub Saharan region is still living in the
backwardness of under development occasionally stunted growth in science and
technology. The above was one of the many reasons that led the Federal
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Government of Nigeria to plan for the enhancement of technology. In accordance

with the Federal Government of Nigerias demand and plans to enhance
advancement in technologys and a subsequently pilot technological coat to the
brink of technology were caused to spring up in the nation in all the geopolitical
zones in the mid and late 1980s (FRN). These schools, which objectives were to
produce middle level manpower requirement to cater for the maiden springing
technologies. One of the objectives of science education is to develop students
interest in science and technology, as todays society depends largely on
development in science and technology. Teachers are expected to devise ways of
making their students to develop positive attitudes towards science and sciencerelated disciplines (Akpan, 2006)
Chemistry, in particular, is central to many of the scientific fields of human
endeavors; therefore, the teaching of chemistry should be given serious attention.
Science teachers have always recognized the importance of practical work as a
means of introducing learners to the scientific process of experimentation. To this
end, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
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(UNESCO) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
have participated in numerous international meetings to promote inexpensive
experimental-based teaching in Chemistry. Effective teaching of chemistry, which
laid emphasis on bench-work, in Nigerian secondary schools, is of outmost
importance to teachers, parents and the government (N.P.E., 2004).
Chemistry teaching should develop in the students manipulative and
experimental skills to make him or her competent and confident in conducting
experiments and/or researches. Students should do practical work of conducting
experiments, reporting their observations and making inferences or conclusions,
thus, developing their scientific knowledge and experimental skills and at the same
time arousing and maintaining interest of the students in the subject.
The poor performance of students in science subjects has assumed a
dangerous dimension. In the light of this, science educators need to seek suitable
ways of tackling the current mass failure if they are to halt the drifts of students to
arts and social science subjects (WAEC, 2006). The relevance and importance of
chemistry amongst the science subjects is formidable, hence the need for proper
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teaching of the subject in the secondary schools so that students scores in internal
and external examinations will be high, thereby making the candidates entrance
into higher schools easier. According to Sola and Ojo, (2007) teachers of chemistry
are expected to make chemistry more relevant, enjoyable, easy and meaningful to
students. Teaching methods need to be improved and appropriate teaching
strategies employed as the teaching-learning situation may demand. Teaching
methods such as inquiry, project, lecture-demonstration, lecture performance,
problem-solving, field trips, cooperative or group learning, excursion, remedial,
laboratory and guided discussion and the use of audio-visual materials have been
recommended for the teaching of science in schools (Sola and Ojo, 2007).
There is however the need to understand that for different topics in science,
the teaching approaches may differ depending on the complexity and structure of
the topics. Teachers should be concerned with the use of variety of methods and
procedures. The most enjoyable aspect of teaching and learning can occur when a
variety of teaching methods are used.

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According to Khawla, and Emuas, (2006), teaching of science in laboratories

has been a controversial issue. Laboratory work is both time consuming and
expensive compared with other models of instruction. Hence, the efficiency of such
a method of learning should justify the additional time and cost of using it,
especially in primary and secondary education. They further noted that the increase
in the educational budget for using laboratories as a model of teaching should be
more efficient in accomplishing the objectives of teaching sciences than other
models of instruction. Teaching science through laboratories needs, therefore, to
be constantly evaluated using one or more of the following methods. First, there
should be a comparison of the academic achievement of students who are taught
through the laboratory method compared with the achievement of students taught
through other models such ad demonstration. Khawla, and Emuas, (2006), for
example, indicated that students exposed to laboratory-based education exhibited
significantly greater chemistry achievement than students in comparable lecturedemonstration groups on both immediate and delayed post-tests.

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Demonstration instructional method is a method of teaching concepts,

principles or real things by combining explanation with handling or manipulation
of real things, equipment or materials. As a following study, Vikoo (2003) grouped
demonstration method of instruction among psychomotor development methods.
He added that this method is an activity based method of instruction that aims at
motor skill development in learners. It aims at developing in students knowledge
of procedure, rules and principles with which they can do things with their manual
dexterity. It is characterized by minimum instructor control and more of students
activity.
In this regard, it is evident that the laboratory technique and demonstration
method of teaching have been widely utilized in the teaching and learning of
science. However, there is no clear evidence to which method is better and in which
areas/concepts in chemistry that it should be applied. It is therefore the desire of
the researcher to compare students achievement in laboratory technique and
demonstration method of teaching chemistry in Ethiope East Local Government
Area secondary schools.
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1.2

Statement of the Problem

Educators are continually trying to teach students in a more efficient and

effective manner. Some science instructors believe they have discovered a more
efficient and effective teaching method in the form of laboratory technique in the
teaching of chemistry. Chemistry, the study of matter and energy has traditionally
been taught by lecture and demonstration.
Many secondary schools in Delta State are considering a change from
traditional demonstration method to laboratory based method of teaching
chemistry. Numerous secondary schools have made this change in the past few
years, but the outcome in terms of performance of students from this change is not
made know. Experts in the field of science education have disagreed as to the
effectiveness of laboratory method of instruction or any significant difference
between it and traditional demonstration method instruction. Since available
research could not substantiate the advantage of change, experiments need to be
conducted in Ethiope East Local Government Area.

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The laboratory method self-paced instruction by use of equipment in the

laboratory but facilitated by the instructor while the students play active role in the
process of teaching and learning. No school or school system should want to change
from traditional demonstration method to laboratory method without sound reason
to believe that students would benefit from the transition. Therefore, every effort
should be made to explore the issues raised by each methods adherents and critics.
Many experts in the field of science education, especially chemistry have weighed
in with pertinent opinions on the usefulness of abandoning traditional
demonstration method in favor of laboratory based instruction.

The challenges

they encounter include class size (not enough materials for each individual student,
equipment breakdowns, etc.), difficulties meeting individual students needs,
worksheets, tests, lesson plan construction, and software problems that can bog
down lab operations. Conversely, developing modules in laboratory method has
been described as time consuming and expensive, and teacher-made tests may not
be as valid as vendor tests (Michael, 2000) At least two studies have already
compared traditional demonstration versus laboratory technique, the findings for
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both methods were basically the same, with neither method emerging as clearly
more successful than the other. Enhance, it is necessary reevaluate which method
is better using secondary schools in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta
State.
1.3

Research Questions
The following research questions have been formulated to guide this study.
1. Do students taught with laboratory technique perform better than those
taught with demonstration method in chemistry?
2. Does the students performance dependent on method of teaching (e.g
laboratory technique, demonstration method and control group using
traditional lecture method)?
3. Is there any difference in the performance of male and female students taught
chemistry with laboratory techniques?
4. Is there any difference in the performance of male and female students taught
with chemistry laboratory practical method?

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1.4

Research Hypotheses
From the research questions above, the following research hypotheses have
been formulated to guide this study.

1.

There is no significant difference in the mean achievement between

students taught separation of mixtures using demonstration method and those

taught using laboratory technique in chemistry.
2.

There is no significant difference in the mean achievement of students taught

separation of mixtures using laboratory technique, demonstration method and

control group (using traditional lecture method).
3.

There is no significant difference in the mean performance between male

and female students taught chemistry using demonstration method.

4.

There is no significant difference in mean performance between male and

female students taught with laboratory techniques.

1.5

Purpose of the study

The main purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a difference

in the performance of student taught with laboratory technique and those with
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demonstration method in secondary schools in Ethiope East Local Government

Area. Specifically, the following purposes are to be achieved in this study:
1. To determine which method of teaching chemistry is better, laboratory and
demonstration.
2. To ascertain the difference in the mean performance of students taught using
laboratory technique, demonstration and control group using traditional
lecture method.
3. To evaluate difference in the mean performance of male students taught
with demonstration method in chemistry?
4. To assess the difference in performance between female students taught
chemistry, separation of mixtures with laboratory technique.
1.6

Significance of the Study

This study was significant because this question needs to be answered before

either teaching method can be confidentially embraced as preferable. Because of

strong differences of opinion between experts in the field of science education, only
conclusive findings can guide fruitful dialog and sound decisions on this issue.
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Therefore this study will be of significance to students, teachers, parents, school

administrators, ministry of education official, policy makers, curriculum planners
and researchers.
To the students, this study will promote in chemistry students the idea that
chemistry is both a product and a process in student by arousing interest in practical
work with the use of laboratory technique and demonstration where necessary.
To the teachers, the study will convince the chemistry teachers that practical
laboratory lessons are mostly essential for effective teaching and learning of the
subject and the need to adopt it for teaching for maximum achievement of students.
To the parents, finding from this study will motivate parents to provide basic
requirements of practical lesson for their children in secondary schools and
understand the need to send their children to secondary schools where laboratories
are available and teachers utilize the laboratory for the benefit of their students.

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The study will encourage the government through the ministry of education
to realize the need for provision of science equipment to school and posting of
qualified laboratory teachers and technologist to secondary schools.
The Nigeria society in the quest for improved technology and
industrialization and economic development will see the need for laboratory
practical in the training of students to fit into the society adequately.
Finally, other researchers may use the findings of the study to guide them
conduct further research in order to add more knowledge use of laboratory practical
and demonstration method to enhance the performance of students in chemistry
and overall performance of students in science and engineering.
1.7

Scope and delimitation of the study

This study is targeted at the senior secondary schools in Ethiope East LGA

of Delta State. The study is limited to SS2 Chemistry students in both private and
public secondary schools.

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1.8

Definition of Terms
In this study the following terms will be used in the following ways.

Chemistry laboratory: This is a place/classroom where laboratory equipment are

kept and experiments are performed.
Gender difference: These are differences as a result of being either a male or
female arising from social and cultural construction of roles associated with these
sex differences.
Practical Skills: These will be referred to as process skills. These are mean
experimental skills such as observation, recording, manipulation, analysis and
interpretation acquired by students in the teaching and learning in laboratory.
Students ability in a practical task: This is the degree of successful execution
of experiments during practical classes.
Years of Experience: This refers to the number of years the teacher has put in
service as a chemistry teacher.

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