AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF CUTTING-EDGE TEACHING STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHERS' IN ANAOCHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ANAMBRA STATE.

Abstract

This study investigated the awareness and utilization of Cutting-edge teaching 
strategies among secondary school chemistry teachers in Anaocha Local Government 
Area (LGA) of Anambra State. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. 
Two research questions were raised to guide the study. The population of the study 
comprised all the thirty-five (35) chemistry teachers in the sixteen (16) public 
secondary schools in the LGA. The whole population was used for the study and so 
there was no sample and sampling technique. Questionnaire was the instrument used 
for data collection. Validation of the research instruments was carried out by three 
experts from the Department of Science Education, Department of Education 
Foundation and an experienced secondary school chemistry teacher. The reliability of 
the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha which yielded a co-efficient 
value of 0.80. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire by the 
researchers. Mean score and percentage was the statistical tools adopted for data 
analysis. Based on the findings of the study, it was discovered that chemistry teachers 
in Anaocha Local Government Area are aware of some of the cutting-edge teaching 
strategies such as flipped classroom, learning through storyline, project base learning 
among others but do not utilize them effectively.  It was equally observed that the 
teachers are not aware of some of these teaching strategies such as Acrostic Letter 
Sentence Mnemonics, Reciprocal peer tutoring to mention but a few. Based on the 
findings, it was recommended among others that workshop, seminars and conferences 
should be organised for the Chemistry teachers and secondary school teachers in 
general for creation of awareness of cutting-edge teaching strategies for effective 
utilization. Adequate materials and equipment should be provided for effective 
utilization of these innovative teaching strategies. Chemistry curriculum should be 
revisited and readjusted to accommodate the use of cutting-edge teaching strategies.