STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHEMISTRY IN SOME

SELECTED SECODNARY SCHOOLS IN AKURE SOUTH

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE

BY
ABULUDE, Francis Olawale
PGDE/2009/5412

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for

the Award of Post Graduate Diploma in Education to the National
Teachers Institute, Kaduna (An Affiliate of the Usman Dan Fodio
University Sokoto).

December, 2009.
CERTIFICATION

I certify that the project work was carried out by ABULUDE, Francis Olawale
(PGDE /2009/5412) under my supervision in the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna
(An Affiliate of the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto).

………………………..
………………………..
Mrs. T. E. Owoyemi
Date.
Project Supervisor.
DEDICATION

This project work is dedicated to Almighty God who was the knowledge, wisdom,
strength and power and also to my family members especially my wife Mrs. Olufunke
Joke Abulude and Children, Ifeoluwa, Ayobami, Oluwatimilehin, Oluwatosin and
Boluwatife Abulude

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 I am most grateful to the source of my wisdom and strong pillar of my life – God
Almighty for making it possible for me to carry out this project and for seeing me
through from beginning to the end of this course.

I sincerely appreciate the commendable efforts of my dear supervisor Mrs. T. E.

Owoyemi, her motherly advice, care, reproof and scolding cannot be over emphasized as
she go a long way making this project work and teaching practice a huge success. I am
grateful ma.

I am also grateful to all my facilitators who ensued that they put finishing
touches to my work.

My unforgettable appreciation goes to all my colleagues both juniors and seniors

in my place of work, my HOD, colleagues and students of Ejioba High school, Oba-Ile
where I did my teaching practice.

Finally to all my classmates in the National Teachers Institute, Kaduna, Federal

University of Technology, Study Centre, Akure who encouraged me throughout the
period of study.

God bless you all (Amen)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am most grateful to the source of my wisdom and strong pillar of my life – God
Almighty for making it possible for me to carry out this project and for seeing me
through from beginning to the end of this course.

I sincerely appreciate the commendable efforts of my dear supervisor Mrs. T. E.

Owoyemi, her motherly advice, care, reproof and scolding cannot be over emphasized as
she go a long way making this project work and teaching practice a huge success. I am
grateful ma.

I am also grateful to all my facilitators who ensued that they put finishing
touches to my work.

My unforgettable appreciation goes to all my colleagues both juniors and seniors

in my place of work, my HOD, colleagues and students of Ejioba High school, Oba-Ile
where I did my teaching practice.

Finally to all my classmates in the National Teachers Institute, Kaduna, Federal

University of Technology, Study Centre, Akure who encouraged me throughout the
period of study.

God bless you all (Amen)

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study

Chemistry is the scientific study of interaction of chemical substances that are

constituted of atoms or the subatomic particles: protons, electrons and neutrons it is an
integral part of the science curriculum both at the Senior Secondary School as well as
institution. At this level, it is often called “general chemistry” which is an introduction to
a wide variety of fundamental concepts that enable the student to acquire tools and skills
useful at the advanced levels whereby chemistry is invariably studied in any of its various
sub-disciplines (Wikipedia, 2004).

Chemistry and indeed chemists are linked to everything on earth as aptly captured
in a slogan: what on earth is not chemistry. Chemistry plays a pivotal role at engineering
sustainable economic development and growth in any nation. Put succinctly, there is no
aspect of human endeavour on natural phenomena that chemistry does not feature. It
features prominently in the areas of oil and gas, agriculture, health, environment, solid
minerals, textile, cosmetics water supply and sanitation, crime detection, pulp and paper,
waste management just name it. (Zuru, 2009). Chemistry is the catalyst of sustainable
national growth and development.
 Attitudes, like academic achievement, are important outcomes of science
education in Secondary School. The development of students’ positive attitudes regarding
science as a school subject is one of the major responsibilities of every science teacher.
Unfortunately research has revealed that much of what goes on in science classrooms is
not particularly attractive to students across all ages (Stark and Gray, 1999; Cheung,
2009)

An attitude may be defined as a predisposition to respond in a favourable or unfavourable manner

with respect to a given attitude object (Oskamp and Schultz 2005). The focus of this project is on

school students’ attitudes towards chemistry subjects taught in secondary classrooms. The term

‘subjects’ refers to both theory and laboratory classes in secondary school. Thus, the scope of the

present study was limited to chemistry as experienced by students in secondary school rather than

out-of-school experiences obtained from external sources such as the media, museums, field trips

and friends.

Attitude towards chemistry or science denotes interests or feelings towards studying

chemistry or science. It is the students’ disposition towards like or ‘dislike’ science while attitude

in science means scientific approach assumed by an individual for solving problems, assessing

ideas and making decisions. Student beliefs and attitudes have the potential to either facilitate or

inhibit learning (Yara, 2009).

Many factors could contribute to student’s attitude toward studying science (chemistry).

Several studies (including Wilson 1983; Soyibo, 1985; Berg 2005; Adesoji, 2008) report that

students’ positive attitudes to science correlate highly with their that, in general, the attitude of

Nigeria students towards the basic sciences tend to decrease in the order, Biology, Chemistry,

Physics and Mathematics. Defiana (1995) found that using integrated science environment

activities improved high school student attitude toward and awareness about the environment.

Armstrong and Impara (1991) in their studies determined that fifth and seventh – grade students
using nature score as a curriculum supplement developed more positive attitudes than those who

did not.

Abimbola (1983) reported that students exposed to a programmed instruction recorded

higher and more favourable attitude towards mathematics. Ayelaagbe (1998) also reported a more

positive attitude of studies after