CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of Study

Chemistry is the branch of science that deals with the study of the structure and composition of matter. Chemistry has often being described as the central science, being that effective study of chemistry lays a solid foundation for the scientific and technological development of an early learner in the sciences. Oriaifo (2002) while stressing the importance of chemistry education noted that chemistry equips the learner with specific knowledge skills and attitude which enables him/her become useful to him/her and the society at large.In Nigeria, chemistry as a subject occupies a prominent position in the nation’s secondary and tertiary curriculum. At the secondary level of education, a credit pass in chemistry is a pre-requisite for students to further their studies in fields like Medicine, Pharmacy, Agriculture, Engineering, Home Economics, Biological Science and other science related fields of endeavour. Chemistry do not just start and end in the classroom or school as often perceived, phenomenon in chemistry are practiced in our day to day lives in and outside the school.

Some of the home chemistry practices are the process of heating (cooking/warming) of our food, the process of washing our cloths with soap or detergents, addition of limestone when cooking (eg beans, unripe plantain etc), the process of boiling grinded fresh tomato to allow the liquid to get dried, addition of salt to perishable food stus in other to preserve them, boiling and filtering of impure water to make it clean for drinking, the process of putting stainless steel spoon into meat while boiling, the process of separation of kerosene or petrol from water, the process of preparation of pap from grounded maize (corn), the process of spraying insecticides in the house to kill insects, the act of melting ice block into liquid water for the purpose of drinking, preparation of our African delicacy fufu through cassava, the burning of materials in the presence of air (oxygen), the process of rusting of clean nail when it has been exposed to air and water (chemical change) etc. this is just to mention but a few.

This goes to show that principles in chemistry are applied in our day to day activities even in our various homes. These principles are not just applied in our urban areas, even in our local villages chemistry is been practiced. For example, in most villages local soap is made from ashes of burnt plantain peels and used (or bleached) palm oil, quality drinking water has long been a problem in our local villages so most oen people in the rural areas use alum to purify there drinking water, virtually all the different cooking practices in the local villages are based on chemistry phenomenon. As important as the subject isand in spite of its day to day applications students’ achievement has long been poor and unsatisfactory year aer year (Inomiesa and Unuero, 2003; Udo, 2008; WAEC Chief Examiners report 2007,2008, 2009 and 2010; Ogbu, 2012; Omoifo 2012). WAEC,2009 revealed that weaknesses associated with the performance of candidates in chemistry were attributed to lack of relevant textbooks, inadequate preparation for examination and non-familiarization with examination syllabus which was in essence attributed to wrong way and manner teachers teach chemistry, that the teachings did not stimulate and sustain students’ interest in chemistry (Njoku 2007).The continuous record of students’ poor performance has attracted a lot of assertions (Nwagbo, 2002 & Njoku, 2007). The steady decline in students’ performance in chemistry and its related subjects has remained a source of worry to the students, parents, teachers, government and even Non-Governmental Organizations in Nigeria. According to Asiyai (2005) teachers on their part have used different teaching methods such as discussion, questioning, guided discovery, expository etc. to enhance the standard of achievement of students in external examinations like West African Examination Council(WAEC),National Examination Council (NECO) etc. notwithstanding these methods had not yielded expected results. These teaching methods include the conventional lecture method which is predominantly used in most Nigerian secondary schools due to the fact that most of the schools are over populated and the chemistry classes are over crowed, the chemistry syllabus is wide and the teaching time is oen too short compared to the chemistry scheme, have not been able to salvage the poor performance in chemistry.(Adesida,Agbaji, Atere-Roberts, Bello, Dakare, Ihuoma, Kashim, Okonkwo, Otegbeye & Yabaya, 2002). Interest has a lot to do, if there is going to be a meaningful improvement in the teaching and learning process of chemistry.

According to Graber (2011), Piaget in 1974 considers interest a decisive factor in the learning process, he defines interest as the dynamics of assimilation, and every process of equilibration is based on interest. Together with many other authors it is believed that developing interest in a topic is an important pre-condition for self-directed learning as well as an important goal for school learning with regard to life-long learning, out-of-school behaviour and choice of profession. Since 1965, Herbart’s modern pedagogy has emphasized the value of interest not only as a means, but as an educational end in itself. Modern interest research has confirmed Herbart’s conception, and that interest-based motivation to learn has positive effect both on the studying process and on the quantity and quality of learning outcomes (Hidi, Renninger & Krapp, 2004).Due to the steady decline on interest in chemistry and in the sciences there is a decrease in enrollment in sciences in general and chemistry in particular. Omoifo (2012), indicated poor enrollment in sciences and technology education.

The question now is, why is there high rate of poor performance in chemistry? Why do students have low rate of interest in chemistry? Is it true that chemistry phenomenon are also practiced at home? Do chemistry go beyond the four walls of the schools? Do the students know that the process of heating (cooking/warming) of our popular bean cake (i.emoi-moi, a common African delicacy) is called water bath in chemistry? Do the students know that the warm feelings they get when they add detergents to small quantity of water is an illustration of exothermic reaction taking place between the water molecules and the detergent? Do the students know that addition of limestone when cooking (eg beans, unripe plantain etc) act as a method of increasing the rate of the chemical reaction taking place?Do the students know that the process of boiling grinded fresh tomato to allow the liquid to get dried leaving only the tomato is an example of separation technique in chemistry called evaporation process? Do the students know that the process of putting stainless steel spoon or nail into meat while boiling increases the rate of reaction and the stainless steel spoon or nail acts as a catalyst? Do the students know that the process of preparation of our African delicacy fufu through cassava is a chemical process called fermentation? Do the students know that the burning of materials in the presence of air (oxygen) is also a chemical phenomenon called combustion? Do the students know that the process of rusting of clean nail when it has been exposed to air and water is an example of a chemical change? This is just to mention but a few common cases whereby students’ home chemistry(i.e. local practice) is related to their school chemistry. This goes to show that principles in chemistry are applied in our day to day activities even in our various homes. Therefore, will incorporating local practices enhance students’ interest and achievement in chemistry?