COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF CONCEPT MAPPING AND SIMULATION-GAME TEACHING STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS IN CHEMISTRY

Abstract

The study investigated the comparative effects of concept mapping and simulation game teaching strategies on students’ interest in environmental concepts in chemistry. The quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent control group design was adopted. The sample comprised of four hundred and sixty-seven (467) SS2 chemistry students randomly drawn from four (4) single-sex schools. The instrument for data collection was Environmental Concepts Inventory (ECII), while six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. Three intact classes were assigned to concept mapping, simulation-game and lecture method groups. Means, standard deviations were used to answer the research questions, while ANCOVA and Multiple Classification Analysis (MCA) using the Scheffe’s test were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that the simulation-game teaching strategy was more efficient in enhancing students’ interest than the concept-mapping strategy. Gender was found to be insignificant. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made.