Bridging gender disparities in senior secondary chemistry: What magic can Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach perform?

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach in bridging gender disparities in achievement among senior secondary chemistry students. The study adopted pre-test, post-test nonequivalent quasi-experimental design. The sample comprised 118 senior secondary 2 chemistry students with 58 students in the experimental group (30 male; 28 female) and 60 students in the control group (27 male; 33 female) in two intact classes from two senior secondary schools in Education District V, Lagos State, Nigeria. The experimental group was taught using Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach while the control group was taught the same concepts for a period of six weeks using the conventional lecture method. Chemistry Cognitive Achievement Test and Chemistry Practical Achievement Test were used for data collection after validated by experts in test and measurement, and chemistry entrepreneurship. The reliability coefficients of the CCAT and CPAT were established using K-21 which yielded 0.87 and 0.76 respectively. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that gender had no significant effect on the students’ cognitive achievement [F(1,56)=.02; p>0.05] and practical achievement [F(1,56)=.48; p>0.05] in chemistry when taught using Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach. The study therefore recommended among others that Chemistry teachers should make effective use of Entrepreneurial-Motivated-Approach in chemistry instructions and the Curriculum planners should ensure the incorporation of entrepreneurial modules in the learning experience of senior secondary chemistry curriculum and textbooks to ensure skills acquisition among chemistry students.