EFFECTS OF KNOW-WANT- LEARN (KWL) METACOGNITIVE LEARNING STRATEGY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN CHEMISTRY IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA.

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ABSTRACT


This study investigated the effects of Know-Want-Learn (KWL) metacognitive learning strategy on secondary school students’ academic achievement and retention in chemistry in Calabar Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design involving pretest, post-test, non-equivalent control groups. Sample of the study comprised 292 SSII chemistry students drawn from the population of 6,643 students in Calabar Educational Zone of Cross River State using purposive sampling technique. Electrochemistry Achievement Test (EAT) was used as instrument to obtain data for this study with reliability coefficient value of 0.72 using Kuder- Richardson’s formula (KR)-20. Ten (10) research questions were posed and addressed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Also, 10 hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 levels of significance using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) as statistical tool. The results of the test analysis showed that: (i) there was a significant difference between the mean achievement scores of the students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method, (ii) there was a significant difference between the mean retention scores of the students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method, (iii) there was no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy, (iv) there was no significant difference between the mean retention scores of male and female students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy, (v) there was a significant difference between the mean achievement scores of urban and rural school students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy, (vi) there was a significant difference between the mean retention scores of urban and rural school students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy, (vii) there was a significant interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry, (viii) there was no significant interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.(ix) there was no significant interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry.(x) there was no significant interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry. Based on these findings, conclusion was drawn and some recommendations were made to include among others that government and stakeholders in education should regularly organize workshops, seminars and conferences to update knowledge and enlighten science teachers towards embracing some newly innovative teaching strategies. This would enhance students’ learning outcomes in any school’s teaching subject.

 








TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Title Page                                                                                                                    i

Declaration                                                                                                                 ii

Certification                                                                                                               iii

Dedication                                                                                                                  iv

Acknowledgments                                                                                                      v

Table of Contents                                                                                                       vii

List of Tables                                                                                                              xi

Abstract                                                                                                                       xiii

 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION                                                                           1

 

1.1       Background to the Study                                                                                1

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                               18

1.3       Purpose of the Study                                                                                       20

1.4       Research Questions                                                                                        21

1.5       Hypotheses                                                                                                     22

1.6       Significance of the Study                                                                               23

1.7       Scope of the Study                                                                                          25


CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE                                    26

2.1       Conceptual Framework                                                                                  26

2.1.1    Overview of Know-Want-Learn (KWL) instructional strategy                         26

2.1.2    Metacognition and KWL metacognitive strategy.                                         33

2.1.3    Advance organizer and its relationship with KWL chart instructional

strategy                                                                                                           39

2.1.4    Electrochemistry and KWL metacognitive instructional strategy                        43

2.1.5    Academic achievement and retention ability of students in teaching-

learning process                                                                                              48

2.1.6.   The retention ability of students in teaching – learning process                  50

2.2       Theoretical Framework                                                                                  55

2.2.1    Albert Bandura’s social learning theory (1977)                                             55

2.2.2    David Ausubel’s “Subsumption” theory of meaningful learning and

retention (1962)                                                                                              59

2.2.3    Jerome Bruner’s theory of discovery learning (1957)                                    64

2.3       Empirical Studies                                                                                           69

2.3.1    Students’ gender, academic performance and retention in science

            (chemistry)                                                                                                     69

2.3.2    Classroom interactions and students’ academic achievement

            and retention ability                                                                                        78

2.3.3    School location, academic performance and retention ability of students           81

2.4       Summary of Literature Review                                                                      89

 

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD                                                                  92

3.1       Design of the Study                                                                                        92

3.2       Area of the Study                                                                                            93

3.3       Population of the Study                                                                                  94

3.4       Sample and Sampling Procedure                                                                    95

3.5       Instruments for Data Collection                                                                     96

3.6       Validation of the Instrument                                                                          97

3.7       Reliability of the Instrument                                                                           97

3.8       Method of Data Collection                                                                             98

3.8.1    Experimental procedure                                                                                 98

3.8.2    Scoring of instrument                                                                                     100

3.8.3    Control of extraneous variables                                                                      100

3.9       Method of Data Analysis                                                                                102

 

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS                                                    103

4.1       Results                                                                                                            103

4.2       Hypothesis                                                                                                      111

4.2.1   Major findings of the study                                                                             121

4.3       Discussion of Findings                                                                                   123

4.3.1    Effect of treatment (KWL metacognitive instructional strategy) on mean

academic achievement score of students in chemistry.                                  123

4.3.2    Effect of treatment (teaching using KWL metacognitive instructional

strategy) on mean retention score of students in chemistry.                          124

 

4.3.3    Effect of treatment (teaching using KWL metacognitive strategy) on

            male and female students’ mean academic achievement score in chemistry.125

4.3.4    Effect of treatment (teaching using KWL strategy) on male and female

students’ mean retention score in chemistry.                                                 126

4.3.5    Influence of school location on academic achievement of students in

chemistry when exposed to treatment                                                            128

4.3.6    Influence of school location on students’ mean retention score in

electrochemistry when exposed to treatment                                                 130

4.3.7    Interaction effect of school location on students’ mean academic achievement

in chemistry when exposed to teaching using KW metacognitive

Instructional Strategy and conventional lecture method.                               132

4.3.8    Interaction effect of school location on students’ retention in chemistry

when exposed to teaching using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy

and conventional lecture method.                                                                   133

4.3.9    Interaction effect of gender and teaching strategy on students’ achievement

score in chemistry.                                                                                          135

4.3.10 Interaction effect of gender and teaching strategy on students’

 retention score in chemistry.                                                                         136

 

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION        138

5.1       Summary of the Study                                                                                    138

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                      140

5.3       Recommendations                                                                                          141

5.4       Limitations of the Study                                                                                 142

5.5       Suggestions for Further Studies                                                                     143

References                                                                                         

Appendices                                                                                                                                        

 

  

 

 

 

LIST OF TABLES

1:         KWL Chart                                                                                                     29

4.1.1:   Mean achievement gain and standard deviation of students in

            electrochemistry.                                                                                            103

4.1.2:   Mean retention gain and standard deviation of students in

            electrochemistry.                                                                                            104

4.1.3:  Mean and standard deviation of males and females achievement

            gain in electrochemistry.                                                                                105

4.1.4:   Mean and standard deviation of male and female students’ retention

            score in electrochemistry.                                                                               105

4.1.5:   Mean achievement gain and standard deviation of urban and rural

            students’ score in electrochemistry.                                                               106

4.1.6:   Mean retention gain and standard deviation of urban and rural

            students’ score in electrochemistry.                                                               107

4.1.7:   Mean scores and standard deviation of urban and rural students’

            score from EXG and COG in electrochemistry.                                            108

4.1.8:   Mean retention gain and standard deviation of urban and rural

            students from COG and EXG in electrochemistry.                                        109

4.1.9:   Mean achievement gain score and standard deviation of male and

            female students from COG and EXG in electrochemistry.                            110

 4.1.10: Mean retention gain score and standard deviation of male and

            female students in electrochemistry.                                                              111

4.2.1    Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for COG and EXG students’

            mean achievement score in electrochemistry.                                               112

4.2.2:  Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for COG and EXG students’ mean   retention scores in electrochemistry.                                                              113

4.2.3:  Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for male and female students in         electrochemistry taught using KWL strategy.                                                114

4.2.4:   Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for male and female students’

            mean retention scores in electrochemistry.                                                    115

4.2.5:   Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for school location and students’ mean            achievement scores in electrochemistry using KWL instructional strategy.   116

 

4.2.6:  Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for school location and students’ mean            retention scores when using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy. 117

 

4.2.7    Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of school location and instructional

            strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry.        118

 

4.2.8:   Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of teaching strategies and school 

            location on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.                         119

4.2.9:   Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of gender and teaching strategies on

            students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry.                              120

4.2.10: Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of gender and teaching strategies

            on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.                               121

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

CHAPTER 1

 

INTRODUCTION

 

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The study of chemistry, like all other sciences, requires active participation of students in knowledge-driven activities. It involves thought-provoking processes and a collective application of science process skills in all its ramifications. These skills pertain to reasoning, creativity and innovation, collaborations, communication, curiosity and imagination, analytical and critical thinking, accessing and analyzing information in order to solve collective or individual problems of life (Akpan, 2015). This is because Chemistry has tremendously impacted positive values on all facets of human life and existence. The impact of chemistry is felt in everyday living to the extent that, it has brought economic development and social benefits to all mankind in all ramifications (Ojokuku, 2010). As one of the science subjects taught in school and at different levels, chemistry has incredibly played important roles towards the advancement and development of scientific and technological products and tools for human consumptions at both internal and the global arena (Akpan, 2016). This feat has been made possible through connecting the globalized world with amazing chemical products and processes. It has also galvanized the entirety of the global science community with knowledge of chemical products and processes. These chemical products and processes have been put to use many years ago and are still being used often in recent times by one common but great community referred to as “Scientific Community” (Nwoji, 2015:65).  

Science and technology have opened many essential ways to modern methods of Agriculture, improved health care services and conditions of human life, made travel easier, safer, faster and much more efficient. These benefits are evidenced in improved food production and storage facilities, clothing and textiles, housing, transportation, drugs, relaxations and many others, courtesy of the knowledge of chemistry and other allied sciences (Akpan, 2010).

In Nigeria, secondary school students are introduced to the study of chemistry at the first year of senior secondary one (SS1) education level. This is because it forms the fundamentals in science. As one of the cardinal objectives contained in National Policy on Education (FGN, 2014), the knowledge of Chemistry help to equip students with the necessary skills required to live comfortably in the modern age of science and technology. Therefore, Chemistry is reliably serving as a medium through which science and technology strive and interact with each other globally in order to bring about development in the society. Science and technology are requisite for each other and indeed midwifed by chemistry. This means that the science in chemistry provides the gateway to technology just as technology is reliably dependent on scientific products and processes initiated by Chemistry (Achimugu, 2011). This shows the close interdependency and interwoven relationship between science and technology in relation to chemistry and all its activities. These relationships are established through the knowledge of chemistry as depicted in chemical changes and processes involving chemical reactions.

Chemical changes and processes are seen at all times around in our everyday activities. Lighting a match-stick from match-boxes, cooking, burning firewood, making or tapping palm-wine, fading of rings, necklaces, bangles and braces, rusting of nails and roofing sheets, and so on involved chemical changes. Most of the objects we interact with and often see, feel, smell, hear and taste around do make use of chemical activities involving chemical processes. Soaps and detergents for cleaning, hair- and skin creams and perfumes for grooming, plastics for a wider variety of purposes, and many others are some examples of chemistry processes in action (Nnoli, 2016). By implications, Chemistry has made life worth living through the provisions of a variety of chemical products that are made available for use by mankind. Hence, its importance cannot be over emphasized.

Chemistry occupies a prominent position in the education system of many developed and developing countries of the world. Aniodoh and Egbo (2014) submitted that Chemistry education is a necessary ingredient for any nation to become self-reliant, earn a better-living condition for her citizens and contribute positively towards building as many as possible a variety of sustainable national development projects. Therefore, Chemistry breeds a variety of chemical products for use and these obviously constitute the spice of life. These products are made through chemical processes.

In many of these chemical processes, energy is substantially involved either directly or indirectly. Man needs energy to perform all activities of life; firewood, gas or kerosene to cook, electrical cookers, boiling rings or heaters, all use energy to perform their functions effectively. We use quite a great deal of energy to propel our automobiles. The air conditioners, electric-fans and other essential recreational gadgets of life such as, the television and video, the radio and compact-disk players, home theatre, car battery and lead-acid accumulator, all can only work effectively, when energy is supplied or input into them. Electricity is generated often from the chemical reactions involving electrochemistry, hence, electrochemical reactions (Ojokuku, 2010).

Electrochemistry is a branch of chemistry that deals essentially with chemical changes that often generate energy. Its chemical operations yield products with chemical values that are useful for mankind. Evidences abound in our everyday life and activities (Achimugu, 2011). The production of energy from chemical reactions plays diverse major roles in our environment. This means that our environment and its chemical activities are sacrosanct. This, according to Yousuo (2005), implies electrochemistry remains predominantly a crucial aspect of chemistry for the production of chemical energy, via electricity, upon which chemistry stands. Yet, students still find it difficult to express and explain quantitative problems and concepts involving electrochemistry, particularly, those involving calculations such as in electrolysis, balancing of ionic/redox equations and so on.  

The Federal Ministry of Education (FME, 2014),  reviewed the National Chemistry Curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria and identified three (3) aspects which specifically are classified as core electrochemistry concepts:

(i) Redox reactions

(ii) Ionic theory and

(iii) Electrolysis.

 These are to be taught in chemistry in the secondary schools. The above effort was then complimented by Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) as contained in a reviewed chemistry curriculum for senior secondary schools which is currently in use today in Nigeria. These core aspects of electrochemistry should, therefore, be properly taught by teachers at school for easy understanding of students.

Unfortunately, these aspects of chemistry appear not so well taught at schools. This is evidenced in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Chief Examiner’s Reports (2005 – 2017) which have persistently revealed the poor performance of students in chemistry examinations over the years. More so, as it concern those who make attempts on answering electrochemistry questions. The reports have continually emphasized that students have been performing too woeful, discouraging and uninspiring at electrochemistry questions over the years. Therefore, the so disappointing poor performance of students in chemistry as contained in the reports suggests that many students do not understand the questions clearly and so make wrong attempts at solving the problems. The Chief Examiner’s reports emphatically specified that only few candidates (students) make attempts to answer electrochemistry question and they do so, most probably, with dread and fear. This is because many of the questions on electrochemistry concepts are either usually skipped by many students or poorly answered while, some are either half or partly solved as the case may be. This shows clearly that students, perhaps, do not have proper understanding or grasp of electrochemistry concepts taught at school. Consequently, the performances in chemistry at the Ordinary Level West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (O/L WASSCE) have continued to remain generally poor because electrochemistry questions have always featured in the examinations. One strategy of addressing students’ poor performance in chemistry is to ensure that electrochemistry concepts are well taught and properly understood. This may be better done by using effective teaching strategies that would enable the students to make meaning of what they learn.

 Although as vital as electrochemistry concepts are, the widespread studies (Njoku, 2007; Ojokuku and Amadi, 2010; Obumanu and Ekenobi, 2011) have established that both teachers and students find it difficult to teach and learn, respectively, electrochemistry concepts. Corroborating this assertion, Yousuo (2005) reported that many secondary school students do often approach the study of electrochemistry with dread and fear. Sadly, this tense and fraught relationship with electrochemistry have reached the extent that these category of students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State still wonder why electrochemistry unit is part of the chemistry curriculum for secondary schools. Their alleged fears and negative perception about the difficulty in understanding electrochemistry concepts have translated to the observed relatively poor achievement in chemistry. This ugly situation about the fear, difficulty and failure in chemistry by students have remained unabated in schools (as observed in both internal and external examinations) within Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria (Nja, 2012; Nja, Kalu and Neji, 2015). Therefore, there is need for alternative but appropriate teaching strategies that may enhance academic performance of students as well as retention of knowledge in electrochemistry; and thereby, guarantee their positive feelings about the subject-Chemistry.

Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State seems to be worse hit by this failure. It                       is evidenced as seen in Appendix 2 which clearly, shows a reflection of the common observations in many schools today in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, to find as many students as possible, who can hardly express themselves clearly and correctly in terms of electrochemistry concepts taught at school. The situation has obviously become very worrisome hence, allowing what informed this study to ponder over these questions: Are the secondary school teachers teaching the electrochemistry aspects of chemistry effectively, in ways and manner that guarantees students’ good understanding or grasping of electrochemistry terms and concepts taught? And in ways that make for students to obtain high grades in relation to achievement and retention at tests and examinations? How adequately and effectively has electrochemistry concepts been taught for students’ proper grasping or understanding? These questions beckon for answer in this study. Hence, teaching for understanding and effective delivery of electrochemistry lessons has become a necessity in schools. This is so because teachers’ effective delivery of electrochemistry concepts in schools may be achieved, by using innovative instructional strategies. One of which is the use of Know –Want –Learn (KWL) metacognitive instructional strategy. This strategy, perhaps, may empower any student (learner) to take charge of his/or her own learning in a more highly meaningful fashion than the conventional “talk and discussion” – method, commonly referred to as “lecture method” (Ogle, 2009). The KWL metacognitive instructional strategy which has not been sufficiently applied and adequately investigated in the context of electrochemistry or chemistry as a whole may involve the students’ active participation in classroom activities and perhaps, enhance their academic achievement and retention in chemistry.

Besides, electrolysis as taught at school as a concept in electrochemistry is used industrially in extraction and electroplating of metals in order to improve on their quality and durability, beauty and aesthetic values, as well as to prevent rusting or corrosion (Prescott, 2017). Electrolysis is also used in large scale production of heavy chemicals, such as Sodium hydroxide, Sodium-trioxochlorate (v), Chlorine and many others. These heavy chemicals are used for production of fine chemicals and many other varieties of products used in daily activities of life, such as disinfectants, herbicides, pesticides, plastics, analytical reagents, confectionaries among others. These products are useful to mankind in their various capacities and values (Akpuaka, 2009). Therefore, effective teaching and understanding of electrochemistry concepts, using innovative teaching methods and strategies are advocated for this study.

Ojokuku and Amadi (2010) had earlier affirmed that the awareness of the relevance of chemistry and its associated concepts are usually achievable through using innovative strategies for effective teaching at school. Unfortunately, this has not been so in recent times. Therefore, the general poor performance in chemistry by students can only be resolved through using innovative strategies that could prove productive in Nigeria. To do otherwise, according to Njoku and Akwali  (2016), Nwoji (2015), Nja (2012), Obomanu and Ekenobi (2011) is to further engage students in a cycle of use of inappropriate instructional strategies and the attainment of poor grades at the level of education. Apparently, it is not a healthy development in Nigerian education system and should hence, be addressed.

Research findings (Jegede, 2007; Njoku, 2007; Okeke, 2011; Oloyede, 2011; Okereke and Onwukwe, 2011; Aniodo and Egbo, 2014; Nja, Kalu and Neji, 2015; Ekemobi and Mumuni, 2015; Njoku and Akwali, 2016) have attributed students’ poor academic achievement and retention scores in chemistry to inappropriate teaching strategies adopted by chemistry teachers in school. This suggests also, that adoption of appropriate teaching strategies may enhance students’ performance and retention of knowledge in a variety of school subjects.

The KWL strategy which was first developed and introduced by Donna M. Ogle in 1986 as a teaching-learning strategy is designed in form of a chart and consists of three columns for ensuring meaningful learning of concepts taught at school. Indeed, KWL is simply an acronym for what I know (K), what I want (W) to know, what I learned (L). The KWL chart as earlier mentioned may get students (or learners) actively engaged in bridging the organized information gathered for each column of the chart. Each column of the chart is specifically designed to: (i) access previous knowledge in the K-column (ii) determine what one wants (W) to know in the W- column (iii) recall what was learned (L) in the L- column. The chart is a form of graphic advance organizer that makes students to learn meaningfully, construct their knowledge/or experiences independently and taking charge of their own learning (Ogle, 1986, 2005 and 2009; Szabo, 2007; Khiara, 2015; Zouhor, Bogdanovic and Segedinac, 2016). This strategy originated from Ausubel’s (1960 and 1963) ‘subsumption’ and assimilation theory of cognitive learning that used advance organizers for meaningful learning (Ogle, 2009; Kumari and Jinto, 2014; Lou and Xu, 2016; Ni, Rohadi and Alfana, 2016). The theory is based on the ideas that meaningful learning occurs when new knowledge is consciously, explicitly and deliberately linked with relevant concepts which the learner (student) already knows. In other words, KWL instructional strategy draws origin from the works of David Ausubel’s (1960) use of advance organizers to provide linkage or bridge that loops learning via the constructivism movement. Constructivists hold views that prior knowledge is used as a framework to link the learning of concepts with new knowledge. In essence, how one thinks influences how and what he/or she learns (Ogle, 2009).  The KWL instructional strategy has been used by teachers to guide students through a text, demonstrations, discussions, illustrations, explanations, brainstorming, experimentations in classroom settings, and for activating their prior knowledge towards active participation in learning.

Many studies (Szabo, 2007; Siribunam and Tayraukham, 2009; Al-Ataie, 2010; Zhang, 2010; Bojovic, 2010; Ibrahim, 2012; Alshatti and Watters, 2012; Kumari and Jinto, 2014; Riswanto and Lis Mayanti, 2014; Chanakan, 2015; Khaira, 2015; Lou and Xu, 2016; Zouhor, Bogdanovic and Segedinac, 2016) on KWL instructional strategy supports student-centered learning. This is because it increased understanding based on the design to inspire students’ inquiry and activate their prior knowledge towards taking control of their own thinking and learning activities in Science, Art and Humanities (Szabo, 2007; Khiara, 2015; Zouhor, Bogdanovic and Segedinac, 2016). However, the application of the KWL instructional strategy have shown conflicting or contradictory results, either in favour or against its propensity to stimulate greater understanding and enhance students’ achievement and retention in some school subjects. For instance, studies of Zhang (2010), Kumari and Jinto (2014), Chanakan (2015) doubted the efficacy of the strategy with respect to some crucial factors like differences in school location, sex and social culture. So, the effectiveness of the strategy in assisting students to learn has not been clearly, adequately or sufficiently resolved with these contradictions. Therefore, it will be wrong to conclude hurriedly that KWL metacognitive instructional strategy has complete potential of enhancing the understanding of students in the Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, so convincingly when other confounding factors are taken into considerations. More so, studies in the application of KWL strategy are foreign and may not be effectively applied to Nigerian students with their different socio-cultural background.

These assertions may be further strengthened by the findings of Yusuf and Adigun (2010), Okereke and Onwukwe (2011) who observed that school location and gender affects students’ academic performance in the Sciences. Also, Ezike’s (2000) study on Gender-related differences in academic achievement of Physics students is a pointer to claims that contradicted the findings of others like Ezeudu and Obi (2013) who observed that gender and school location influenced students achievement and retention in chemistry. The results of these studies showed variance or inconsistency, hence, further investigations through research is required to resolve the uncertainty over which instructional learning strategy is more appropriate.  Also, Jovinius (2015) investigated the effect of geographical location of schools on students’ academic performance in Social Studies and found that school location influenced students’ academic performance and not their retention ability levels. Therefore, it also requires further research investigations. Many studies (Owoeye and Yara, 2011; Nja, 2012; Falch, Lujala and Strom, 2013; Nja, Kalu and Neji, 2015) have lay claims of rural – urban dichotomy in students’ academic achievement and retention of knowledge to the absence of essential amenities like electricity, portable water, internet services and qualified teachers in rural schools as compared to urban areas. Anamezie (2018) reported that many teachers prefer urban to rural schools because of the availability of these essential amenities. This has probably brought academic performance and retention differentials, disparity or differences in mean achievement and retention scores between urban and rural students irrespective of the instructional strategies or methods adopted by teachers.  This means that the effects of instructional strategies on students’ achievement and retention of science concepts seem to differ in several ramifications pertaining to effectiveness, particularly, as it concerns learning difficult concepts in chemistry at different school locations. Therefore, further investigation is required through research to resolve the uncertainty.

Retention and achievement are closely related because students who perform better academically are assumed to have retained enough knowledge of content learned recall them swiftly when needed at examinations or tests (Zaman, Choudhary and Qamar, 2015). Also, Nja, Kalu and Neji (2015) pointed out that students’ retentive ability is a reflection of their performance at tests or examinations. Ausubel (1960) referred to retention ability as the process of maintaining the availability of a replica of the acquired new meaning of concepts wholly or partly. Anamezie (2018) defined retention as the capacity to continually hold or behave in a particular manner what has been learnt. The determinant factor of retention is contingent upon where information is processed and coded for storage as well as retrieval. Coded information depends on the method of presentation and meaningfulness of the information to the learner. Some studies have reported poor retention ability of students (Okeke, 2011; Nja, 2012) which have shown contradictory reports with those of Anamezie (2018) and Zaman, Choudhary and Qamar (2015) whose findings showed enhanced retention ability levels based on the teaching strategy adopted by the teacher. These contradictions, therefore, emphasizes the need for further research on teaching methods that could, perhaps, enhance retention of science concepts taught. The extent to which KWL metacognitive instructional strategy may eliminate or resolve all these controversies on gender stereotyping effects and school location, also, form the basis of this study. Chemistry concepts as a matter of fact cannot be learnt properly by memorization or rote learning. The ability to remember quickly any information takes place when experiences (or information) are passed across to the learner through an appropriate instructional strategy (Nja, Kalu and Neji, 2014). The task before teachers is to help students improve on their abilities to assimilate and remember information. Therefore, to effectively and efficiently understand whatever has been learnt, retention plays important role. Nevertheless, KWL is a metacognitive instructional strategy that may play important role in retention of knowledge during its application in the learning process at school.

Metacognition is defined as the knowledge and control an individual has over his/or her thinking and learning activities. Metacognition can also be defined as the ability to understand and monitor one’s own thought processes and the assumptions, as well as, the implications of one’s owned activities (Flavell, 1979; Kumari and Jinto, 2014; Zakariyya and Bello, 2018). Therefore, it depicts learners’ cognitive sense of how they understand any given information and what should be done to control or self-regulate their cognitive processes. Metacognition describes the degree to which learners are engaged in thinking about themselves, the nature of learning tasks and the social interactions/contexts. Metacognition comprised activities for regulating and monitoring human learning. The human information processing system according to Yuksel (2012), consist of four elements which are basically: self-system, the metacognitive system, the cognitive system and the knowledge system. All these systems work harmoniously and simultaneously with the cognitive theories to bring understanding of any concept taught in school. However, the components metacognition are categorized into goal specification, process specification, process monitoring and disposition monitoring (Yuksel, 2012). In summary, metacognition consist of planning, monitoring, evaluating and revising. A meta-analysis of different metacognitive strategies conducted by Kumari and Jinto (2014) was found to take different forms or shapes which included: (i) chunking, (ii) framing, (iii) concept mapping, (iv) use of metaphor, (v) use of advance organizers, (vi) rehearsing, (vii) use of imagery, (viii) use of mnemonics. The KWL metacognitive instructional strategy belongs to the subset of the uses of advance organizer in metacognitive learning. This is because it involves concerted efforts and commitment towards bridging ideas meaningfully by linking prior knowledge with new ideas in organized forms that brings in the understanding. That meaningful information is required for completing the respective columns in the chart (Ogle, 2005 and 2009). The process of engagement and activities performed by each individual while filling information into the respective columns of the chart, would serve as a bridging medium of ideas between a new idea and the existing ideas in the learner’s frame of reference. This medium plays an orienting and subsuming role in relation to later presented element of ideas in such a unique metacognitive manner for understanding to be achieved (Ogle, 2009).

Therefore, KWL metacognitive instructional strategy may present electrochemistry concepts meaningfully to students and enhance their achievement and retention of knowledge in chemistry. Specifically, the strategy may facilitate easy learning of perceived difficult electrochemistry concepts by students and quicken their understanding of the concepts taught. Through effective use of KWL instructional chart, students’ prior knowledge may be activated to grasp fully concepts taught and keep them always thinking critically, rationally and creatively. In doing so, students become more actively involved in the learning process by participating in the class activities. This is because students may continuously ask questions on areas, issues, terms or concepts that appear seemingly unclear or confusing and thereafter, learn from their interactions made.

Unfortunately, many chemistry teachers in recent times are not teaching in the like manner for students to enhance their achievement in chemistry. For instance, as shown or illustrated in the WASSCE results of 2005 to 2017 in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State (See Appendix 2). Generally, students’ poor performance in chemistry has been attributed partly to inappropriate teaching strategies adopted by secondary school teachers in the subject (Nja, 2012; Nja, Kalu and Neji, 2015; Ekemobi and Mumuni, 2015).

A cursory look at West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) chemistry summary results of Calabar Education Zone, from 2005 to 2017 show a relatively high percentage failure of 50% and above for each of the years. These are the evidence that supports the Chief Examiner’s reports (2005 – 2017), which repeatedly emphasized that the learning outcomes of students in chemistry at WASSCE in some states of Nigeria have remain appalling and abysmal failure following their poor performance records is a pointer to such claims.  The result suggests that the strategy adopted by practicing chemistry teachers was probably deficient in yielding the desired results. This may also be traced to students’ inability to link meaningfully prior knowledge with the current information to bring about quick understanding of concepts taught in class as observed in studies (Sharma and Pachauri, 2016; Riswanto and LisMayanti, 2014; Ibrahim, 2012; Al-Ataie, 2010; Siribunam and Tayraukham, 2009). This meaningful learning, according to Kalu (2014), occurs when new knowledge is consciously and deliberately linked with relevant concepts in the learners’ conceptual frameworks. It involves non-arbitrary, non-verbatim and a substantial incorporation of new knowledge into the cognitive structure of learner(s). In this regards, the conventional lecture method usually adopted by teachers may be deficient in addressing this problem of failure in chemistry. Therefore, student’s cognitive frameworks may need to be tailored and directed appropriately towards connecting ideas meaningfully together than the conventional lecture method. Perhaps, the expected enhance students’ achievement and retention of knowledge in chemistry may be realized if the KWL metacognitive instructional strategy is effectively used.

Retention of information can be defined as having the information stored in long-term memory in such a way and manner that it can be readily retrieved to solve a problem or make sense of a situation in different contexts. The study of retention clearly overlaps with the study of memory. However, retention differs from memory because information viewed as being retained must always be recall when appropriate, in response to prompts such as school examinations or tests and not only in response to experiential cues (Ausubel, 1960).

The study of retention dates back to Ebbinghaus’s (1913) study of memory which states that, repeated retrieval during learning is pivotal to long-term memory or retention. Retention may be facilitated through categorization and measured by three ways: relearning, recall and recognition. Therefore, an individual remembers more facts and concepts when he/or she appropriately categorizes and stores what have been learned. The world usually makes sense when objects and events are carefully categorized. It is only when we store what is learn in the appropriate category that retention can be enhanced (Ebbinghaus, 1913). Students’ ability to retain what was learned is dependent on these guiding principles enumerated above. Many studies have reported poor retention of students (Anamezie, 2018; Zaman, Choudhary and Qamar, 2015; Oloyede, 2011; Okeke, 2011). Therefore, it emphasizes the need for teaching strategies that could probably enhance retention of electrochemistry concepts in this study.

Essentially, it is expected that Ogle’s (2005 and 2009) KWL metacognitive instructional strategy would enhance students’ retention of science concepts because the strategy allows for students to state or express their views or learning outcomes explicitly in the KWL instructional chart outlined in three columns: K.W.L-columns. The students would express and enter their views independently into the separate columns of the KWL chart with confidence without any fear or reservations. The teacher would thereafter inspect their write-ups and equally respect their expressed views, feelings and opinions as contained in the columns. Then, the teacher acts accordingly where and when necessary to make them understand what is taught or discussed in the classroom. In doing so, students retain much of what they have learned in the long-term memory, recall them often and promptly too when required. Memory is the process of retention or storage depending upon the degree of availability of information (Ebbinghaus, 1913). In other words, if no information is learnt, then no memory is conscripted. Memory is the act or process of remembering previous experiences or the rate at which one can forget previous thoughts and ideas (Tobias and Everson, 2009; Ebbinghaus, 1913).

One of the fundamental theories of Memory holds that, memory as one of the 120 factors of intelligence, can best be described as either good or weak depending on its functional ability (Ebbinghaus, 1913). Memory is often said to be good when individuals remember information known before and can recall the information for use at the appropriate time when required. Whereas, weak memory implied the individual learnt the material before but finds it difficult to recall, recognize and relearn it at the required time when due. This forms a problem of metacognition in students’ learning of concepts in school (Brown, 1978).

When the KWL metacognitive instructional strategy is effectively applied in learning science (especially, electrochemistry) concepts at school, it is expected that a significant educational experience which often operates in every educational event may reasonably be considered.  Also, students would be empowered to enrich the meaning of their experiences towards the attainment of high achievement and retention objectives in school. This approach would most probably be assumed to play vital roles in educating the young minds yearning for science education, particularly, chemistry from different school locations. Therefore, students’ active involvement in teaching – learning process would not only guarantee thinking and acting but would also have feelings of inner personal satisfaction. This may also lead to attainment of high goals which is a permanent reflection in their achievement and retention gain scores at tests and examinations irrespective of sex differences (Akpan, 2018).

The effects of school location, gender and teaching strategies on achievement and retention of knowledge among students have been an issue of previous researches. Unfortunately, no consistent results have emerged. It was reported from studies (Nja, 2012; Kumari and Jinto, 2014) that while gender and school location have no significant influence on achievement and retention of knowledge in Chemistry and Social Science respectively, Oludipe (2012), Orji, Chiagoziem, Matthew and Ndidi (2018) reported otherwise on the same subject matter with respect to achievement in Basic Science and Physics. These inconsistencies emphasized the need for re-examining the interaction effects of instructional strategies, gender, school location on achievement and retention of knowledge in electrochemistry.

It is against these backdrops, perhaps, that the possibility of wide spread research into the use of KWL metacognitive instructional strategy may produce answer to ameliorate the lingering problems of students’ poor achievement and retention in chemistry. Particularly, as it affects the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, South-South, Nigeria.  

 

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It has been observed that students’ academic performance in Chemistry at both internal and external examinations in Cross River State, especially, Calabar Education Zone has been persistently poor. Specifically, it has been noted that the percentage level of credit level pass (A1-C6) fell from 32.8% in 2013 to 12.40% in 2017. Stakeholders in Chemistry education has consequently been on the search for causes of this poor performance and have invariably searched for ways of ameliorating the ugly situation. Findings from research studies have revealed that a lot of factors are contributory to this poor performance. These range from teachers factors to students and even institutional/environmental factors to mention but a few.

 

The WASSCE Chief Examiner’s reports from 2005 to 2017 have been re-emphasizing the need to forestall poor performance of students in the area of electrochemistry. Available evidence from the reports showed that students have continually been performing poorly in electrochemistry aspects of chemistry to the extent that, some questions are either skipped, partly solved or poorly answered. Hence, attempts made have remained abysmal and so disappointing to say the least.

 Researches have also shown that achievement and retention of knowledge continued to remain poor in chemistry at both internal and external examinations. Empirical evidence identified the difficulty of some concepts in chemistry and inadequate utilization of appropriate instructional strategies, inability of the students to link or connect between a new idea and existing ideas in order to make learning become meaningful, among others, as being responsible for the repeated failure. Students need access to sets of ideas that can subsume the new material and simultaneously provide him/her with additional anchors, which may translate into meaningful results are now far-fetched. Therefore, it suggests that there should be a change in the style of teaching chemistry which must be followed or accompanied by an equally innovative change in the style of evaluating the outcomes of learning electrochemistry. This is with the view to raising the low level performance in chemistry by secondary school students through investigations into innovative methods/strategies of teaching and learning electrochemistry concepts which this study sought to achieve.

  

Despite the emphasis and recognition accorded chemistry as a core science subject, underachievement in chemistry as reported was partly attributed to the use of conventional lecture methods of teaching which has not been yielding the desired results, thus culminating in the recorded failures over the years.  Chemistry is a practical oriented science subject that demands for activity-oriented teaching methods/strategies for its understanding and application. Unfortunately, chemistry teachers rarely employ any of the activity oriented teaching methods/strategies that guarantees active students’ participations in class. This makes students not to understand the subject properly for full grasp and hence, perform poorly. The researcher is therefore of the opinion that if appropriate teaching strategies are employed in the teaching of this all important subject, especially, the difficult concepts like electrochemistry, students may understand the subject better and perform academically better at tests and examinations. Hence, the problem of this study put in question form becomes how would the Know-Want-Learn (KWL) metacognitive instructional strategy: (i) improve secondary school students’ academic achievement and retention in electrochemistry? (ii) interact with each of sex and school location on students’ achievement and retention of knowledge in electrochemistry in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, South-South, Nigeria?

 

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of KWL metacognitive instructional strategy on students’ academic achievement and retention in chemistry. Specifically, the study sought to determine the:

i.      effect of KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and conventional lecture method on students’ mean  achievement score in electrochemistry.

ii.     effect of KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and conventional lecture method on students’ mean retention score in electrochemistry.

iii.   mean achievement scores of male and female students in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

iv.   mean retention scores of male and female students in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

v.     influence of school location on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

vi.   influence of school location on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method.

vii.  interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean academic achievement scores in electrochemistry.

viii.                  interaction effect of school location  and teaching strategies  on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.

ix.   interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean academic achievement scores in electrochemistry.

x.     interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.

 

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

            The following research questions guided the study.

1.      What is the students’ mean achievement score in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method?

 2.     What is the students’ mean retention score in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method?

3.      What is the mean achievement scores of male and female students in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy?

4.      What is the mean retention scores of male and female students in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy?

5.      What is the influence of school location on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy?

6.      What is the influence of school location on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy?

7.      What is the interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry?

8.      What is the interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry?

9.      What is the interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry?

10.    What is the interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry?

 

1.5       HYPOTHESES

The following null hypotheses were formulated for the study and tested at 0.05 levels of significance:

1.     There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method.

2.     There is no significant difference between the mean retention scores of students taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy and those taught using conventional lecture method.

3.     There is no significant difference between male and female students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

4.     There is no significant difference between male and female students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry when taught using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

5.     There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students from urban and those from rural schools when taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

6.     There is no significant difference in mean retention scores of students from urban and those from rural schools when taught electrochemistry using KWL metacognitive instructional strategy.

7.     There is no significant interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry.

8.     There is no significant interaction effect of school location and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.

9.     There is no significant interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean achievement scores in electrochemistry.

10.  There is no significant interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on students’ mean retention scores in electrochemistry.

 

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study may be of immense benefits to the students, science teachers, government, curriculum planners, school administrators and researchers.

When KWL is used in classrooms teaching, the students’ achievement will improve and they may find the results useful if the findings of the study is published in academic Journals or presented in seminars and conferences.  At such a forum, the use of the KWL metacognitive instructional strategy may be introduced or expressed and explained elaborately. This may help “participants” at such forum in connecting their prior knowledge quite easily with new knowledge taught, expressed or discussed in order to make for quick understanding of the electrochemistry concepts as compared to the conventional lecture method. Students may as well consult widely these academic journals to enrich their knowledge.

 

The science teachers may also be assisted from the findings of this study if it is published in journals (both local and international), conference papers, as well as seminars, in order to effectively teach with confidence any concept in chemistry perceived to be abstract or difficult for understanding. This is because every teacher who attends such conferences and workshops may be engaged either as a participant, team instructors or students in subject panels or sessional/classroom discussion groups, where views regarding or pertaining to their encountered difficulties or complaints are resolved as quickly as possible. In doing so, the stress of teacher talk usually expressed in conventional lecture method of instructions during teaching-learning process may be minimized in order to provide direction towards interactive learning among participants or students.

The findings of this study may be of encouragement to government and her officials to enforce implementation of extant laws and policies towards attending conferences and workshops from research institutes and her allied organs like the universities if the findings are presented at such fora. This may help to offer financial support through organized workshops, seminars and conferences for the training and re-training of teachers on innovative instructional methods that would serve to enhance students’ academic achievement. The effort put in attending workshops and conferences would bring together many stakeholders in education to a round table discussions on productive innovative methods geared towards maximizing students’ performance especially in areas where problems are identified. In such a forum, curriculum planners may be in attendance to lend their support and apparently incorporate many of such innovative teaching strategies into the nation’s school curriculum and school system. By so doing, greater awareness of the new strategies would have been generated and efforts stimulated towards the application of the strategies in classrooms with efficiency.

 

The findings of this study may help curriculum planners to improve upon the curriculum content in terms of their recommendations for adoption by practicing science (chemistry) teachers in schools. This may go a long way towards making government come alive and become more responsive to her responsibilities of equipping teachers with the necessary conducive environment and enabling tools for acquiring requisite skills, knowledge and right attitudes to learning.

 

The school administrators may also be encouraged through the findings of this study if made public through academic journal publications or even presented at workshops, seminars and conferences to develop positive perception towards innovative strategies that would impact positively on students’ performance at both internal and external examinations. This may, also, go a long way towards re-awakening interest and motivation to teach and learn science concepts meaningfully with ease by both teachers and students from the impetus put up by school administration. Indeed, it behooves teachers to teach for understanding through guiding students map out their ideas, relate one idea to another and redirect their thinking towards achieving meaningful understanding. The use of KWL metacognitive instructional strategy in this study and its findings may offer platforms for school administrators and teachers to adopt such and related strategies for the purpose of guiding their students to learn meaningfully with increasing confidence and dexterity. Pursuance to this approach and its findings, school administrators may be poised to embrace and enforce their implications.

Researchers and scholars who browse internet and research websites may as well benefit from the findings of study if found in such browser websites to be productive or observed to enhance academic achievement of students. This is because the study would create awareness of an innovative teaching strategy that may enhance students’ academic achievement and retention in school subjects, especially, those perceived as difficult by teachers and students. Consequently, researcher may wish to replicate the study in other locations with different subject matter in order to ascertain the potentiality of the strategy and increase the pool of scientific knowledge in that regards.

 

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is delimited to electrochemistry concepts such as: electrolysis, redox potentials and electrochemical cells, operations of electrochemical cells and reactions. These topics were drawn from the SSII National Chemistry Curriculum for Nigeria students and are scheduled for the schools’ term studies in the Zone. Essentially, it embraces all the SSII Chemistry Students in both urban and rural areas in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria.

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