Instructional Strategy and Mathematics Ability as Determinants of Students’ Performance in Acid-Base Titration in Obio-Akpor Local Government, Rivers State, Nigeria

This study investigated the effect of instructional strategies and mathematical ability on students’ performance in the Chemistry concept of Acid-Base Titration. Specifically, the study examined differences in performance among students taught Acid-Base Titration using Virtual laboratory instruction, Physical laboratory instruction, and the Expository method. It further explored the influence of Mathematics ability (high, average, low) on students’ performance. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study employed the quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group design. A sample of 128 SS3 students from public senior secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria, was selected for the study. Two validated researcher-constructed instruments, titled Acid-Base Titration Performance Test and Titration Basic Mathematics Test, were used to obtain data for the study. The Kuder Richardson 21 formula was used to obtain reliability coefficients of 0.87 and 0.91 for the Acid-Base Titration Performance Test and Titration Basic Mathematics Test, respectively. For data analysis, the research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while Analysis of Covariance and Partial Eta squared were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the Expository method significantly enhanced students’ performance in Acid-Base Titration concept more than Virtual and Physical laboratory instructions. A significant difference was discovered among students of high, average, and low Mathematics abilities in their performance in the concept of Acid-Base Titration, in favour of the students with high Mathematics ability. Also, the interaction of instructional strategy and Mathematics ability on students’ performance in the concept of Acid-Base Titration was not statistically significant. The study recommended that Chemistry teachers should make use of the expository method along with the Physical laboratory instruction when teaching difficult Chemistry concepts, such as Acid-Base Titration, and also provide additional support in Mathematics to students with low Mathematics ability to improve their learning outcomes in Chemistry concepts.