EFFECT OF USING CONCEPT MAPPING STRATEGY FOR HYDROCARBONS LESSONS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the concept mapping strategy in the teaching of hydrocarbons lessons on students’ academic achievement in chemistry. Quasi experimental research design was adopted and purposive sampling technique was used to select Obio/Akpor Local Government Area out of the twenty three (23) local government areas in Rivers State. Simple random sampling by balloting was used to obtain two (2) senior secondary schools. A second round of simple random sampling was used to obtain a sample size of one hundred and twenty (120) SS2 Chemistry student comprising 50 males and 70 females that participated in the study. Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) was used for data collection. The data collected were analysed by using mean and standard deviation to answer all the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The study found that, there is significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students exposed to hydrocarbons lessons by using concept mapping and lecture methods, P<.05. Gender do not have significant effect on students exposed to both concept mapping and lecture methods in chemistry, P>.05. the study recommends that, chemistry teachers should often use concept mapping strategy in their classrooms as it is gender friendly  and can boost academic achievement of students in chemistry.