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Students' performance in practical chemistry: A study of some related factors
Author(s) -
Okebukola Peter Akinsola
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of research in science teaching
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.067
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1098-2736
pISSN - 0022-4308
DOI - 10.1002/tea.3660240204
Subject(s) - mathematics education , chemistry , psychology , variance (accounting) , regression analysis , chemistry education , mathematics , statistics , social psychology , accounting , enthusiasm , business
This study examined the influence of selected factors on students' performance in practical chemistry. Twelve factors were extracted by principal component analysis. These factors accounted for 64% of the variance of the scores in practical chemistry when stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied on the data. Students' participation in laboratory activities made the greatest independent contribution to the variance in performance (0.16), followed by students' attitude to chemistry as a subject (0.11), teachers attitude to chemistry laboratory work (0.10), and availability of chemistry laboratory materials (0.08). School location, sex of the student, and students' fear of explosion and of damaging expensive equipment made nonsignificant contributions. The implications of the findings of the study for instruction in chemistry are discussed.