CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
According to Agbai, (2004), chemistry is a branch of science and the prerequisite subject for many fields of science. These fields include agriculture, pharmacy, medicine, nursing, biochemistry, and chemical engineering. It contributes immensely to the technological growth of the nation. Therefore, any nation that aspires to develop scientifically and technologically must pay attention to the quality of chemistry education that is being taught in schools. It is against this background that made the Federal Government of Nigeria to identify the specific objectives to be achieved in the teaching of chemistry at the senior secondary school level in the National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004) as cited in (Agbai, 2004), is as follows:
Facilitating a transition to the use of scientific concepts and techniques acquired in integrated science with chemistry;
Providing the students with basic knowledge in chemical concepts and principles through efficient selection of content and sequencing;
Showing chemistry in its inter-relationship with other subjects;
Showing chemistry and its link with industry, everyday life, benefits, and hazards;
Providing a course which is complete for students not proceeding to higher education, while at the same time, it is a reasonably adequate foundation for a post-secondary chemistry course.
The policy recommends that science teaching and learning should be activity-oriented and student-centered such that students acquire relevant laboratory experiences. The achievement of these objectives will depend on and be influenced by the teacher, the students, the materials, the laboratory, and how both students and teachers perceive them in relation to intended learning outcomes (Agbi, 2004).
Chemistry is a core science subject, and as such, a credit pass in it is required before a student can be admitted in any tertiary institution for most scientific based discipline. The study of chemistry entails the learning of concepts, established principles, laws and theories, and also substantial activity-oriented laboratory work. These laboratory experiments are to demonstrate practically some of the principles taught in theory, test the validity of certain empirical chemical laws, and illustrate properties of substances taught theoretically in the classroom. Learning chemistry means not only learning facts and concepts that describe the physical world at the atomic level, but also learning how to examine the physical evidences of chemical principles in a laboratory learning environment. Since chemistry is a science based on experimentation, therefore, performing experiments within a laboratory setting becomes very important in its’ teaching and learning. Effective teaching and learning of chemistry can only take place when theoretical explanations are complemented with actual practices in the laboratory (Akalonu, 1998).
The teaching laboratory is the standard method of training students in the skills and values central to scientific investigation and important in the development of positive attitude to chemistry. At the chemistry laboratory, students work cooperatively in small groups to investigate phenomena. This mode of instruction has potentials to enhance constructive social interactions as well as positive attitudes and academic performance. Even, though the knowledge of chemistry to the society is very important, students’ performance in the subject as measured by their scores in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) is very poor.
The poor performance in sciences, especially in chemistry in SSCE, attests to the fact that chemistry teaching and learning and the conditions under which they take place need to be re-examined. These should include the laboratory learning environment and the availability of learning resources that can enhance students’ performance in the subject.
According to Akalonu, (1998), the science laboratory, a unique learning environment, is a setting in which students can work cooperatively in small groups to investigate scientific phenomena. The environment in a laboratory is expected to be less formal, when compared to the conventional classroom setting and presents opportunities for more interactions between students and with the teacher, as well. Such greater interactions are likely to promote more positive social interactions that are ideal for creating a constructive and positive learning environment.
The laboratory in the school has been defined by several authors in different ways. Al-faleh, & Hary, (1993) sees a laboratory as a place where scientific exercises are conducted by the science teachers for the benefit of the students (learners). The laboratory exercises include; experiments, and other activities which help the students in acquiring scientific skills. Amaefule, (2001) defined science laboratory as a workshop where science is done or where scientific activities are carried out under conducive environment. She also sees the laboratory as a place where science equipment, materials or instruments are housed for security and safety. Igwe (2003) observed that a laboratory can be indoor such as the sufficiently designed and equipped room found in most schools or outdoor involving such places as riverside, workshop, field and even market for carrying out scientific studies. He further stated that what ever the type of laboratory employed in science teaching, the same laboratory experience should be attained, that is a participation n the series of experimental, observational and demonstrating activities which provide opportunity for students to develop understanding of practical and theoretical concepts through solutions of problems.
Although teachers and students share the same learning environment, it is likely that their perceptions on such a learning environment differ. The nature of the chemistry laboratory learning environment can make a difference on how students are motivated to achieve their set goals. The physical environment of the laboratory in terms of facilities, space, lightening, ventilation, workbenches, and stools in the laboratory influences the safety and comfort of students and also students’ attitudes towards a particular subject and the learning of such a subject (Amaefule, 2001).