Effect of 5Es Constructivist Instructional Approach on Male and Female Students’ Achievement and Retention in Chemistry in Benue State, Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue III, March 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Effect of 5Es Constructivist Instructional Approach on Male and Female Students’ Achievement and Retention in Chemistry in Benue State, Nigeria

Aondohemba John GARBA
 Department of Science Education, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Nigeria

Abstract: – The study investigated the effect of 5Es constructivist instructional approach on senior secondary students’ achievement and retention in chemistry in Benue State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The quasi experimental design was used for the study. A sample of 132 senior secondary two students from six secondary schools was selected using purposive and random sampling techniques. Two instruments, Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) and Chemistry Retention Test (CRT) were developed by the researcher. The instruments were validated by five experts. Upon successful validation, the instruments were trial-tested in a pilot study. Kuder-Richardson (K-R21) formula was used to find the reliability coefficient of the CAT which was found to be 0.71. Data were collected at various intervals using the CAT and CRT. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviations to answer the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The analysis of the data revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Chemistry using constructivist instructional strategy. In terms of retention there is a significant difference in the mean retention scores of male and female students with female students having the highest mean retention scores. It is concluded in this study that the use of constructivist instructional strategy enhance students’ achievement and retention in Chemistry. It was recommended that Chemistry teachers should use constructivist instructional strategy which provides students opportunity to interact with materials, teachers and peers.

Keywords: Chemistry Education, 5Es, Gender and Achievement, Constructivist Instructional Approach

I. INTRODUCTION

The important role of science in the economic growth of any nation in contemporary times cannot be overemphasized. In Nigeria, the importance of chemistry in the development of the nation cannot be underrated especially as her national income rests mainly on petroleum and petrochemical industries (Ameh & Dantani, 2012). Chemistry deals with the study of the composition, properties and use of matter (Okebukola, 2006).

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