EFFECT OF ACTIVE LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ON PRE-SERVICE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS ACQUISITION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of active learning instructional strategies (ALIS) on pre-service chemistry teacher’s acquisition of entrepreneurial skills. The study adopted quasi-experimental design – pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group. The study was conducted in two colleges of education in the south-east geo-political zone of Nigeria. Purposive sampling was used based on proximity and class size using intact classes guide. Out of these two institutions selected, the pre-service chemistry teachers in one college of education were exposed to ALIS involving field trip, demonstration followed by projects as experimental group while the other institution served as control group exposed to conventional lecture method. One hundred and twenty (120) pre-service chemistry teachers were used for the study. Test on entrepreneurial skills acquisition (TOESA) developed by the researcher served as instrument for data collection. The face and content validity of the instrument were determined using two chemistry educators and specialist in education psychologist from researcher’s institution. The reliability of the instrument was established using Kuder-Richardson formula – 21 which was established as 0.89. Mean and standard deviation were used to test the research questions. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using the Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) statistics. The result of the study revealed that the selected ALIS enhance entrepreneurial skills acquisition amongst pre-service chemistry teachers. It also revealed that there is a statistical difference between the mean skill score of male and female pre-service chemistry teachers taught with selected ALIS and it is in favour of male pre-service chemistry teachers. Based on these findings, it was recommended that chemistry educators should apply the use of selected ALIS namely field trip, demonstration and projects strategies in their classroom instructions.