Assessment of Psycho–Social Interest of Students With and Without Disabilities in Organic Chemistry Using Constructivist Approaches

ESKAY; M.; EZEUDU; F.O.; DONATUS ANIODO; EGBUKWU U. P.; NOSIKE U.

Volume : IV, Issue : VIII, August - 2014

Assessment of Psycho–Social Interest of Students With and Without Disabilities in Organic Chemistry Using Constructivist Approaches

Eskay, M. , Ezeudu, F. O. , Donatus Aniodo, Egbukwu U. P. , Nosike U.

Abstract :

The study assessed the psycho–social interest of students’ with and without disabilities in organic chemistry using constructivist approaches. The study adopted a quasi experimental design specifically pretestposttest non– equivalent control group design. Three research questions were posed and three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study was carried out in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State of Nigeria. Four co– educational Secondary Schools were randomly sampled for the study. The sample which consisted of 184 students from the four secondary schools was stratified in terms of the two groups: PEDDA and IEPT instructional approaches. One instrument was developed and validated for data collection: the Organic Chemistry Interest Scale (OCIS). The subjects were pretested and later post–tested at the end of the treatment. Data collected were analyzed using means, standard deviations and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The result showed that students gained psychosocial interest equally in both models of constructivism. There was no signifcant difference in the male and female students’ psycho–social interest in organic chemistry. Both methods are effective in students’ psycho–social interest in organic chemistry. Based on the findings and educational implication, the following recommendations were made that: the use of PEDDA and IEPT should be part of the chemistry curriculum implementation programme for students with and without disabilities, chemistry teachers need to be retrained periodically on the use of PEDDA and IEPT instructional approaches. Use of constructivism should bedisseminated to all inclusive schools in Nigeria to encourage other science teachers.