IMPACT OF PROCESS ORIENTED COOPERATIVE-INQUIRY LEARNING STRATEGIC INSTRUCTION METHOD (POCILSIM) ON STUDENTS’ LEARNING STRATEGIES USE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between learning strategies and the academic achievement of chemistry students. Three research questions guided the study. A correlation survey research design was used. Four hundred and twenty-one (421) Senior Secondary (II) chemistry students in twelve (12) intact chemistry classes from nine public schools in Lagos State, Nigeria participated in the study.  Process Oriented Cooperative-Inquiry Learning Strategic Instruction Method (POCILSIM) was used as the learning strategy intervention. Learning Strategies Scale (LSS), and Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) were used for data collection. Mean, Standard deviation, and t-test were used to analyze the data collected. AMOS 26 was employed to calculate the path coefficient and goodness of fit statistics. Findings showed that the learning strategies used by the students improved after they were exposed to learning strategies intervention; high achievers students use more of the higher-order learning strategies such as metacognitive self-regulation skills than the average and the low achievers; learning strategies have a significant positive relationship with academic achievement, it, therefore, contributed significantly to improve achievement in chemistry, however, the strength of the relationship is low. Also, the metacognitive self-regulation skill strategy has the highest correlation with chemistry students’ achievement while the effort regulation strategy has the least. In addition, learning strategies have equal variances between male and female students. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the policymakers should approve the inclusion and teaching of learning strategies using POCILSIM in the national curriculum at all levels.