Effect of prior knowledge and classroom interactions on students’ achievement in chemistry

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of prior knowledge and classroom interaction on students’ achievement in chemistry. Two schools were purposively sampled and quasi experimental design was adopted. The sample consists of 93 senior secondary II students from two schools in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Nigeria. A 20 – item Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) and a Prior Knowledge Questionnaire (PKQ) were administered on the students to generate data for analysis. The reliability index obtained for CAT and PKQ using Kuder-Richardson method (KR-21) were 0.72 and 0.75, respectively. The test items span all the intellectual levels of the cognitive domain. Three null hypotheses were tested at a = 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that there is significant effect of treatment on students’ achievement in chemistry. However, interaction effect of treatment and gender on students’ achievement in chemistry is not significant. It is also indicated that there is no significant mean difference in prior knowledge of the experimental group and the control group. Teachers should ensure that chemistry is taught with enriched classroom interaction to enhance appreciable achievement in chemistry learning.

Keywords: Prior knowledge, classroom interaction, chemistry achievement.