Effects of Teacher-Made Model and Student-Made Model Instructional Materials on Senior Secondary Students’ Academic Performance in Unsaturated Hydrocarbons in Chemistry

Effects of Teacher-Made Model and Student-Made Model Instructional Materials on Senior Secondary Students’ Academic Performance in Unsaturated Hydrocarbons in Chemistry

Umanah, F. I & Sunday, E. S

Department of Science Education Akwa Ibom State University Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin, Nigeria.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.903SEDU0315

Received: 21 May 2025; Revised: 03 June 2025; Accepted: 07 June 2025; Published: 08 July 2025

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials on senior secondary students’ academic performance in unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, specifically a pretest-posttest non-equivalent group design. The study was conducted in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised 2234 SS2 Chemistry students in 11 public co-educational secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area. The sample consisted of 96 (39 males and 47 females) SS2 Chemistry students drawn from two randomly selected schools. Simple random sampling technique was employed in the selection of the two schools and intact class of SS2 Chemistry students was used in each school. The instruments used for data collection were the Chemistry Performance Test on Unsaturated Hydrocarbons (CPTUH) and Chemistry Interest Inventory Questionnaire (CIIQ). The face and content validity of the CPTUH and CIIQ were reviewed by two experts; one Chemistry educator and one Measurement and Evaluation expert in the Department of Science Education, Akwa Ibom State University. The reliability of CPTUH and CIIQ were 0.85 and 0.87 respectively. Mean and standard deviation, were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that there is significant difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made and student-made model instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made model instructional materials. There is significant difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made and student-made instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made instructional materials. There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials. Based on the findings, it was recommended that teachers should involve students in the development of instructional materials for the teaching and learning of unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry.

Keywords: Teacher-Made Model Instructional Materials, Student-Made Model Instructional Materials, Students’ Academic Performance, Unsaturated Hydrocarbon

INTRODUCTION

Chemistry is a central science that serves as the foundation for many scientific and technological advancements. The study of Chemistry plays a vital role in the development of scientific literacy, which is essential for addressing real-world problems such as environmental degradation, health challenges, and sustainable energy use. Chemistry plays a vital role in achieving sustainable development, as it enables the development of environmentally friendly products and contributes to waste reduction and recycling, ultimately leading to a more sustainable future for our planet (Umanah, 2024). In the Nigerian senior secondary school curriculum, Chemistry is a core science subject and a prerequisite for many science and technology-related courses in higher institutions. However, despite its importance, Chemistry is often perceived as abstract, difficult and uninteresting by many secondary school students, particularly in subtopics like organic chemistry, which includes unsaturated hydrocarbons, probably due to its reliance on symbolic and sub-microscopic representations (Sunday, Umanah & Udofia, 2025). Onunkwo, Ozomadu, Ejikeme and Osuji (2025) opined that students in Nigerian secondary schools often struggle with understanding abstract chemical concepts, leading to poor academic performance in both internal and external examinations. The poor performance students in Chemistry at the secondary level in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination has been unimpressive and worrisome because in Nigeria a credit pass in Chemistry is a pre-requisite for further studies in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, engineering, biological sciences and other science related courses (Ibe, Obikezie, & Chikendu, 2021, Umanah & Akpan, 2024).

The persistent underperformance of secondary school students in Chemistry in Nigeria has become a serious concern among Chemistry educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders. One of the key factors contributing to this poor performance is the continued reliance of Chemistry teachers on traditional lecture methods, which often lack interactive and engaging instructional materials.  This deficiency is especially pronounced in the teaching of abstract and complex topics such as unsaturated hydrocarbons, where students face significant challenges in visualizing molecular structures and understanding reaction mechanisms. In the absence of concrete, hands-on instructional materials, this topic becomes difficult to comprehend, leading to misconceptions, lack of interest, low retention and poor academic performance (Umanah & Atabang, 2025; Umanah & Sunday, 2022). For effective teaching and learning of Chemistry, especially abstract concepts such as unsaturated hydrocarbons, instructional materials are of vital importance.

Instructional materials are all the tools that the teacher can use to facilitate learning and make the teaching-learning process more interesting, stimulating, practical and realistic to the learners. They help to promote teachers’ efficiency and improve students’ academic performance. Instructional materials are vital tools for facilitating teaching and learning, especially in science subjects and help to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical understanding by providing a concrete representation of abstract phenomena (Arop, Umanah & Effiong, 2015). According to Anthony and Andala (2023), students learn and remember 10% of what they hear, 40% of what they discuss with others and as high as 80% of what they experience directly or practice. The use of instructional materials has been observed as a powerful tool that brings about effective teaching and learning, enhances students’ interest, comprehension, retention and academic achievement (Yusuf & Jinjiri, 2024; Ibe, Obikezie, & Chikendu, 2021). There are various types of instructional materials that can be used by the teacher to ease and facilitate classroom instruction such as standardized, improvised, graphics, model materials among others. However, this study sought to investigate the effects of teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials on senior secondary students’ academic performance in unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry.

Model-based instructional materials, whether teacher-made or student-made, provide a tangible and visual representation of molecular structures, enabling students to concretise abstract chemical concepts. Researchers report that the use of physical models enhances students’ ability to visualize and comprehend the spatial arrangements and bonding in hydrocarbons (Okey & Omeodu, 2018). Teacher-made model instructional materials are teaching models that are designed, developed, and constructed by a teacher to support lesson delivery and enhance students’ comprehension of complex or abstract concepts. These materials are often customized to align with specific lesson objectives and are designed to address the unique learning needs and contextual realities of students, particularly in under-resourced educational environments (Williams & Otoyo, 2021). In the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons, a teacher-made model instructional materials refer to instructional models specifically designed and constructed by the teacher to represent the structural formulas, multiple bonding patterns, and molecular geometry of alkenes and alkynes. These models are designed for students to visualize and comprehend the presence of double and triple bonds in hydrocarbon chains, thereby promoting better understanding of chemical bonding, isomerism and reactivity associated with unsaturated hydrocarbons. The teacher-made model instructional materials were constructed using small colored balls and sticks to show the carbon-carbon double bond in alkenes and the carbon-carbon triple bond in alkynes. The teacher-made model instructional materials were also cardboard cut-outs illustrating cis-trans isomerism in alkenes.

Student-made model instructional materials are the teaching materials constructed by the students themselves under the guidance of the teacher (Williams & Otoyo, 2021). For the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons, student-made model instructional materials refer to instructional models specifically designed and constructed by the students to represent the structural formulas, multiple bonding patterns, and molecular geometry of alkenes and alkynes. These models are designed by the students to enable them to visualise and comprehend the presence of double and triple bonds in hydrocarbon chains. These models were developed using small colored balls and sticks, and also cardboard cut-outs to represent molecular structures and bonding patterns of alkenes and alkynes. The process of creating these models encourages active participation, peer collaboration, critical thinking, and deeper understanding through experiential learning.  It also reinforces students’ abilities to translate theoretical knowledge into visual and physical representations, thereby improving retention and promoting creativity, critical thinking.

The involvement of students in the construction of instructional materials is deeply rooted in the principles of constructivist learning theory (Piaget, 1972), which posits that students learn best when they are actively involved in constructing their knowledge. This aligns with the concept of student-made model instructional materials, which promotes inquiry-based learning, creativity, and collaborative engagement. In contrast, teacher-made model instructional materials align more closely with traditional instructional approaches, where the teacher is the primary source of knowledge. Nja and Obi (2019) reported that students who actively participated in the creation and development of instructional materials demonstrated higher levels of engagement, comprehension, and confidence in Chemistry. Similarly, Williams and Otoyo (2021) also found that students who were taught using student-constructed instructional materials significantly achieved higher than the students taught using teacher-constructed instructional materials in the concept of electrical energy in Basic Science. While teacher-made instructional materials provide structured guidance and curriculum-aligned content, ensuring consistency in lesson delivery, student-made materials foster greater learner autonomy, creativity, and ownership of knowledge through active participation. Although both instructional materials offer valuable support for enhancing classroom instruction, however, there is a need to empirically determine their comparative effectiveness in enhancing students’ academic performance and interest in the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry.

Interest in a subject is a key affective factor that may influence students’ academic performance. Interest refers to a student’s level of motivation, curiosity, and emotional engagement with the subject matter (Ezike, 2018; Igboanugo, 2021). According to Yusuf and Jinjiri (2024), interest serves as a key predictor of academic success because when one is interested in a lesson, one is likely to perform well.  A high level of interest can lead to increased motivation, engagement, and sustained effort in learning. Lack of interest in a lesson may be caused by the uninteresting teaching methods and lack of appropriate instructional materials used in the teaching-learning process. Studies have shown that students’ interest significantly influences students’ involvement in the learning process and academic performance (Igboanugo, 2021; Okey & Omeodu, 2018). The use of instructional materials, especially those created by the students themselves, can reignite learners’ interest by involving them directly in the learning process. Yusuf and Jinjiri (2024) reported that students demonstrate higher motivation and interest when learning is hands-on, context-driven, and visually supported. Given the curriculum emphasis on learner-centred pedagogies and the need to improve students’ academic performance and interest in Chemistry, it becomes imperative to investigate the effects of teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials on secondary school students’ academic performance and interest in unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry.

Another variable considered in this study is gender. Gender refers to the socially or culturally constructed characteristics and roles which are ascribed to males and females in any society (Ugwu & Nwagbo, 2019). Gender is one of the factors that may influence students’ academic performance and has generated a lot of concern for educators (Onunkwo, Ozomadu, Ejikeme & Osuji, 2025; Umanah & Akpan, 2024). Educators have expressed various views about gender and students’ academic performance. Various researchers have reported that male students performed better in science-related tasks compared to their female counterparts (Onunkwo, Ozomadu, Ejikeme & Osuji, 2025; Ibe, Obikezie & Chikendu, 2021). While, Ain, Atta and Khursheed (2022) found out that female students performed significantly higher than the male students, others found no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female students (Umanah & Atabang, 2025; Umanah & Babayemi, 2024; Sunday & Edet, 2024; Eden, Akpan & Umanah, 2023; Ajayi and Ogbeba, 2017). Also, Dange (2020) and Ugwu and Nwagbo (2019) reported that male students had higher interest than their female counterparts while Achufusi, Okonkwo and Wisdom (2024) found that both male and female students showed equal interest in Chemistry. This suggests that the influence of gender on students’ academic performance and interest is still inconclusive. Thus, this study sought to investigate the influence of gender on students’ academic performance and interest when taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials.

Statement of the Problem

The persistent underperformance of students in Chemistry, particularly in organic chemistry topics such as unsaturated hydrocarbons, is a serious concern to Chemistry educators in Nigeria. Examination bodies like West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) have consistently reported low academic achievement in Chemistry, attributing the trend to poor instructional strategies, abstract content delivery, with little or no use of engaging instructional materials in classroom instruction. Many Chemistry teachers rely on traditional chalk-and-talk methods, without using instructional materials that actively stimulate students’ interest and promote meaningful learning. Chemistry is an experimental and abstract science subject that cannot be effectively taught and learned without the use of appropriate instructional materials that could enhance students’ interest and academic performance. Although teacher-made instructional materials are sometimes used to enhance lesson delivery, they often remain teacher-centred, limiting students’ active participation and creativity. Conversely, student-made instructional materials, which foster deeper engagement, stimulate students’ interest, and enhance academic performance, are rarely used by Chemistry teachers.

Despite the potential benefits of both teacher-made and student-made model instructional materials, little empirical research has been conducted to compare their effectiveness in improving academic performance and sustaining interest in abstract Chemistry topics like unsaturated hydrocarbons. The absence of such evidence creates a gap in the knowledge of best practices for teaching organic chemistry in secondary schools. Thus, it is important to investigate whether teacher-made model or student-made model instructional materials are more effective in enhancing students’ academic performance and interest in unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry.

Research Questions

• What is the difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials?
• What is the difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials?
• What is the difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance

• There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials.
• There is the no significant difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials?
• There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials.

METHODS

The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, specifically a pretest-posttest non-randomised design. The study was conducted in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised 2234 SS2 Chemistry students in 11 public co-educational secondary schools in the 2023/2024 academic session in Abak Local Government Area. The sample consisted of 96 (39 males and 47 females) SS2 Chemistry students drawn from two randomly selected schools in the study area. A simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the two schools, and an intact class of SS2 Chemistry students was used in each school. In each of the selected schools, one intact class of SS2 Chemistry students was assigned to Experimental Group 1 (taught using teacher-made model instructional materials) and Experimental Group II (taught using the student-made model instructional materials). The instruments used for data collection were the Chemistry Performance Test on Unsaturated Hydrocarbons (CPTUH) and Chemistry Interest Inventory Questionnaire (CIIQ). The CPTUH consisted of 25-item 4-option multiple-choice questions covering the topic of unsaturated hydrocarbons, in line with the SS2 Chemistry curriculum. The items were designed to measure students’ knowledge, understanding, and application of concepts related to unsaturated hydrocarbons. The face and content validity of the CPTUH and CIIQ were established by subjecting the draft instruments to expert review by two lecturers; one Chemistry educator and one Measurement and Evaluation expert in the Department of Science Education, Akwa Ibom State University. The instruments were revised based on their suggestions and corrections. A pilot test was conducted with 20 SS2 Chemistry students from a different school not involved in the study but within the population. The reliability of the CPTUH was calculated using the Kuder-Richardson formula-20 (KR-20), with a reliability coefficient of 0.85, and the reliability of CIIQ was determined using Cronbach Alpha with a reliability coefficient of 0.87, indicating high internal consistency. The CPTUH and CIIQ were administered to the SS2 Chemistry students in the two treatment groups as pretest to serve as a covariate to control for the initial differences among the students. Thereafter, treatment was given to the two groups on the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons for a period of two weeks.  The students in Experimental group I were taught unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model instructional materials while Experimental group II were taught using student-made model instructional materials. At the end of the treatment, the CPTUH was administered to both groups as posttest. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance.

RESULTS

The three research questions and hypotheses raised were answered and tested in this subsection.

Research Question One: What is the difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made and student-made instructional materials.

Table 1:  Mean and standard deviation of the difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbon using teacher-made and student-made instructional materials

The result in Table 1 showed that the pretest–posttest mean difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model instructional materials was 4.40, while that of those taught using student-made model instructional materials was 5.89, with a mean gain of 1.49. Also, the standard deviation scores for the two groups indicated that, although the mean difference score of the students taught with the student-made instructional materials was higher, the scattering of the raw score from the mean was slightly higher in the teacher-made group.  This means that there is a difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made model instructional materials.

Research Question Two: What is the difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials?

Table 2: Mean and standard deviation of the difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials               

The result in Table 2 showed that the pretest–posttest mean difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model instructional materials was 25.88, while those taught with the student-made model instructional materials were 31.07, with a mean gain of 5.19. Also, the standard deviation scores for the two groups indicated that, although the mean difference score of the students taught with the student-made model instructional materials was higher, the scattering of the raw scores from the mean was higher in the teacher-made group.  This means that there is a difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made and student-made instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made model instructional materials.

Research Question Three: What is the difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials?

Table 3:  Mean and standard deviation of the difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials

The result in Table 3 showed that the pretest–posttest mean gain difference in the performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model instructional materials was 1.62, while that of the male and female Chemistry students taught with the student-made model was 0.36. Also, the standard deviation scores indicated that, although the mean difference score of the female students taught with the student-made model instructional materials was slightly higher, the scattering of the raw scores from the mean was slightly higher in the male students taught with the teacher-made model instructional materials. This result implies that there is a small difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials.

Hypothesis One: There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials

Table 4: Result of ANCOVA analysis of the difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials

Significant at P< .05.

The result in Table 4 shows the F-ratio of   13.35 and the corresponding probability level of significance of .00 alpha at 1 and 93 degrees of freedom. This level of significance is less than .05, on which the decision is based. With this result, the null hypothesis was rejected.  This implies that there is a significant difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made model instructional materials.

Hypothesis Two: There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials

Table 5: Result of ANCOVA analysis of the difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials

Significant at P< .05

The result in Table 5 shows the F-ratio of   16.78 and the corresponding probability level of significance of .00 alpha at 1 and 93   degrees of freedom. This level of significance is less than .05, on which the decision is based.  With this result, the null hypothesis was rejected.  This implies that there is a significant difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made model instructional materials.

Hypothesis Three: There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials.

Table 6: Result of ANCOVA analysis of the difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials

Not significant at P> .05

The result in Table 6 shows the F-ratio of 3.18 and the corresponding probability level of significance of .08 alpha at 1 and 91 degrees of freedom. This level of significance is greater than .05, which the decision is based. With this result, the null hypothesis was retained.  This implies that there is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

The finding of the difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials showed that there is a significant difference in the mean performance scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made instructional materials. This finding could be attributed to the fact that when students create their instructional models, they engage actively with the content, and the process of building models requires deep thinking, which helps students to comprehend abstract concepts such as molecular structures in unsaturated hydrocarbons, leading to stronger conceptual understanding and better academic performance.  The finding lends credence to that of Williams and Otoyo (2021), whose findings indicated that students taught the concept of electrical energy in Basic Science using students constructed instructional materials performed better than those taught using the teachers’ constructed instructional materials. The finding also lends credence to that of Odo (2015), whose finding showed that Physics students taught using students’ improvised instructional materials performed better than those taught using conventional materials.

The findings of the difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials showed that there is a significant difference in the mean interest scores of Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials in favour of those taught using the student-made instructional materials. This finding could be attributed to the fact that when students create their own instructional models, they become actively involved in the learning process, which fosters a strong sense ownership and responsibility. This engagement naturally enhances their interest in the lesson because they are not just learning about the concept, they are actively constructing and interpreting it. Also, student-made materials often involve collaborative learning, where students work in groups to plan, create, and construct their instructional materials.  Working with peers can make learning more engaging and also provide opportunities for shared experiences, which can enhance students’ interest. The finding in this study is in tandem with Okey and Omeodu (2018) who reported that the use of physical model as instructional materials enhanced students’ interest in Chemistry.

The findings of the difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials showed that there is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female Chemistry students taught the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons using teacher-made and student-made instructional materials. This implies that both teacher-made model and student-made model instructional materials were implemented in ways that equally engaged and provided equal learning opportunities for both male and female students, regardless of who created the materials. The finding aligns with Umanah and Atabang (2025) and Ajayi and Ogbeba (2017) who found no significant difference in the performance of male and female Chemistry students when taught using appropriate instructional materials. However, the finding contradicts that of Onunkwo, Ozomadu, Ejikeme and Osuji (2025) whose finding showed male students performed better than their female counterparts when taught using instructional materials.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that student-made model instructional materials significantly enhanced students’ academic performance and interest in the concept of unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry compared to teacher-made model instructional materials. This suggests that active involvement in the creation of learning materials fosters better understanding and engagement among students. Therefore, incorporating student-made model instructional materials into Chemistry instruction may be an effective strategy for improving students’ learning outcomes and interest regardless of gender.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:

• Chemistry teachers should involve students in the construction of instructional materials for teaching unsaturated hydrocarbons in Chemistry.
• Workshops and training programs should be organized by educational stakeholders to equip teachers with skills and strategies for facilitating the use of student-made instructional materials. This will help shift the classroom practices from teacher-centered to student-centered learning environments.
• Curriculum developers should incorporate the use of student-made instructional materials as a recommended teaching materials, especially for abstract concepts such as unsaturated hydrocarbons.

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