Effect of Problem-solving Teaching Technique on Students’ Stoichiometry Academic Performance in Senior Secondary School Chemistry in Nigeria

Abstract

Aims: This study addressed the effect of problem-solving technique on students’ academic performance in stoichiometry in Senior Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria. Study Design: Quasi-experimental design specifically pre-test post-test control groups non-randomized design was adopted.  Place and Duration of Study: Senior Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State located at the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria and lasted for four weeks. Methodology: The population comprised of 520 senior secondary 2 chemistry students from private and public schools. 105 SS2 chemistry students representing 61 males and 44 females from intact classes of selected schools formed the sample. The instrument was Stoichiometry Achievement Test developed by the researcher and reliability coefficient calculated to be 0.79.  Three research questions and three hypotheses were used in the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance at .05 level of significance. Results: Findings of the study revealed a significant difference in performance between students taught stoichiometry using problem-solving technique (experimental) and those taught using conventional lecture method (control). Students exposed to problem-solving technique obtained higher score in performance test than those in conventional lecture method. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in students’ performance based on gender (male and female) and school type (private and public).  Conclusion: The study therefore, concludes that problem-solving technique is more effective and enhance students understanding than traditional lecture method. The study recommended that chemistry teachers should incorporate problem-solving in teaching stoichiometry and related concepts and present curriculum should be reviewed to recommend problem-solving technique.