Effect of Generative Instructional Strategy on Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Chemistry in Anambra State

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of generative instructional strategy on secondary school students’ achievement in Chemistry. Two research questions guided the study and two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The quasi-experimental design was adopted, specifically the pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design was used. The population of the study was 4,003 (1,699 males and 2,304 females) senior secondary school year one (SS1) Chemistry students in Anambra State. A sample of 100 SS 1 Chemistry students obtained using purposive sampling technique. The instruments for data collection were Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was established using Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 for CAT which yielded coefficient of internal consistency of 0.81. Data were collected by administering the instruments as pretest and posttest before and after treatment respectively. The data obtained were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions; and Z-test to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study showed that there was significant difference in the mean academic achievement scores of the students taught Chemistry using Generative instructional strategy and those taught Chemistry using conventional lecture method in favour of generative instructional strategy. Moreso, the effect of the instructional strategy and gender on students’ achievement was not significant.  Based on the findings, recommendations were made that generative instructional strategy enhanced students’ achievement in Chemistry. It was recommended that teachers should use generative instructional strategy in teaching and learning of Chemistry. Also, workshops and seminars should be organized by school heads to orient Chemistry teachers on how to effectively use generative instructional strategy in the teaching and learning of Chemistry. The study contributed to knowledge such that it has empirically proved and established that use of generative instructional strategy improves students' achievement in Chemistry more than conventional lecture method. The study also showed empirically that use of generative instructional strategy in teaching Chemistry enhances male and female students’ achievement.