Comparative Effects of Two Metacognitive Instructional Strategies on Gender and Students’ Problem-Solving Ability in Selected Chemistry Concepts

Abstract

Successful chemistry learning in secondary schools involves students’ ability to solve chemistry problems irrespective of their sex. Metacognitive instructional strategies have been found to be effective in this direction. However, the comparative effects of analogies and concept mapping strategies on male and female students’ problem solving ability in tasks involving mole, electrolysis and stoichiometry have not been documented. The study aimed at finding out if male and female students differ in their problem solving ability when taught the three concepts using analogies, concept maps and lecture method. 96 students were randomly selected, pre-tested and assigned into control, and two experimental groups. The control group was taught using lecture method, while the experimental groups were taught using analogy and concept mapping respectively. Three instruments, Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT), Mathematical Skill Test (MST) and Chemistry Problem Solving Test (CPST) were developed and use. Students’ posttest mean scores in the CPST were analyzed using t-test and ANOVA (at 0.05 level). Results showed that there were no significant differences between the posttest mean scores of male and female students taught using concept mapping. However, there was a significant difference between the posttest mean scores of the male and female students taught using analogies. In each of male and female groups, there was a significant difference between the students taught with concept maps and those taught with analogies. The study recommended the use of concept mapping strategy for teaching both male and female students problem solving tasks in electrolysis, mole and stoichiometry