Purpose: This study examined the effectiveness of technology-assisted constructivist approaches—namely, the Predict-Explain-Observe-Explain (PEOE) and Invitation-Exploration-Proposing Explanation-Taking Action (IEPT) models—in enhancing senior secondary students’ self-confidence and critical thinking in identifying physical and chemical changes. Methodology: A quasi-experimental, non-randomized pre-test, post-test control group design was employed. Instruments used were the Physical and Chemical Changes Self-Confidence Scale (PCCSS) and the Critical Thinking Ability Test (CTAT), both validated by subject experts. The study population consisted of 5,543 SS1 Chemistry students in Dekina Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. A sample of 228 students from six schools was selected through multi-stage sampling. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings: Results indicated statistically significant differences in students’ mean self-confidence and critical thinking scores across the PEOE, IEPT, and traditional discussion groups [F(2, 227) = 2325.074, p < .05; F(2, 227) = 209.004, p < .05]. However, no significant interaction effects were found between instructional method and gender on students’ self-confidence or critical thinking scores [F(2, 227) = .085, p > .05; F(2, 227) = .225, p > .05]. Significance: The study concludes that technology-assisted constructivist strategies significantly improve students’ cognitive and affective engagement in Chemistry. It is recommended that Chemistry educators integrate the PEOE and IEPT models to foster deeper understanding, self-confidence, and critical thinking in distinguishing between physical and chemical changes.

This research investigated if either Practical-Based Approach (PBA) or Discussion-Based Approach (DBA) could be more effective in ameliorating students’ cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability in Chemistry. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. Chemistry Cognitive Engagement Inventory (CCEI) and Critical Thinking Ability Test (CTAT) were the instruments used for data collection. The reliability index of CCEI was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha, which gave reliability value of 0.86. The internal consistency of CTAT was tested using Kuder-Richardson (KR-21) formula which yielded a reliability value of 0.92. The population is 6,837 SS2 students offering chemistry in SSS in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. Using multi-stage sampling techniques, a sample of 166 students drawn from 4 schools in Dekina LGA was selected. Two research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores while the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using results from Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that, the difference in the cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability of students taught chemistry using PBA and those taught using DBA was statistically significant in favour of PBA respectively {F1, 165 =138.100, P<0.05} {F1, 165 =188.900, P<0.05}. There is no significant interaction effect of approaches and gender on the cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability of students in chemistry respectively {F1, 165 =1.765, P>0.05} {F1, 165 =5.005, P>0.05}. It was recommended among others that; Chemistry teachers should be encouraged to use PBA during chemistry instruction to ameliorate students’ cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability.

This research investigated if either Practical-Based Approach (PBA) or Discussion-Based Approach (DBA) could be more effective in ameliorating students' cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability in Chemistry. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. Chemistry Cognitive Engagement Inventory (CCEI) and Critical Thinking Ability Test (CTAT) were the instruments used for data collection. The reliability index of CCEI was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha, which gave reliability value of 0.86. The internal consistency of CTAT was tested using Kuder-Richardson (KR-21) formula which yielded a reliability value of 0.92. The population is 6,837 SS2 students offering chemistry in SSS in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. Using multi-stage sampling techniques, a sample of 166 students drawn from 4 schools in Dekina LGA was selected. Two research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores while the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using results from Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that, the difference in the cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability of students taught chemistry using PBA and those taught using DBA was statistically significant in favour of PBA respectively {F1, 165 =138.100, P<0.05} {F1, 165 =188.900, P<0.05}. There is no significant interaction effect of approaches and gender on the cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability of students in chemistry respectively {F1, 165 =1.765, P>0.05} {F1, 165 =5.005, P>0.05}. It was recommended among others that; Chemistry teachers should be encouraged to use PBA during chemistry instruction to ameliorate students' cognitive engagement and critical thinking ability.

This research investigated the possibility of enhancing senior secondary school students’ academic performance irrespective of gender in analytical chemistry concept using Collaborative-Predict-Explain-Observe-Explain (CPEOE). The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design. Analytical Chemistry Attention Inventory (ACAI) and Analytical Chemistry Performance Test (ACPT) were the instruments used for data collection. Cronbach Alpha was used to ascertain the reliability index of ACAI which gave reliability value of 0.87. The internal consistency of ACPT was tested using Kuder-Richardson (KR-21) formula which yielded a reliability value of 0.96. The population was 7,152 SS2 students offering chemistry in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. A sample of 157 students drawn from 3 schools in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria was selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores while the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using results from Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed among others, that there was no significant difference between the mean attention rating of male and female students taught analytical chemistry {F1, 78 = 1.020, P>0.05}. It was also revealed that that there is no significant difference between the mean academic performance of male and female students taught analytical chemistry using CPEOE {F1, 78 = 4.890, P>0.05}. It was recommended among others that since CPEOE is not gender sensitive. Hence, both male and female students should be involved in CPEOE classroom to enhance their attention and academic performance in analytical chemistry. Serving teachers should be encouraged to use CPEOE in teaching analytical chemistry concepts.

The study was on the adaptation of spaced learning integrated with technology (SLIT) instructional strategy and also investigated if the implementation of SLIT instructional strategy in chemistry classroom could improve students’ academic performance. A pretest, posttest, control group, quasi-experimental research design was adopted in this study. The instruments used for data collection was Chemistry Academic Performance Test (CAPT). SLIT instructional strategy was modified from Spaced learning (SL). SLIT lesson plans and CAPT were validated by two experts in Science Education. Kuder-Richardson (KR-21) formula was used to test internal consistency of CAPT which yielded a reliability value of 0.91. The population of the study was made up of 5,127 Senior Secondary 2 students offering chemistry in the 21-government approved secondary schools in the Aldo-Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. A total of 124 students was purposively sampled from 4 schools out of 47 schools in the study area. Two research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation scores while the null hypotheses were tested using results from Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that there is a significant difference between SLIT instructional strategy and discussion method of teaching in favour of SLIT instructional strategy [F1, 123=98.765, p<0.05]. It was found that no significant difference between the academic performance of male and female students taught Chemistry using SLIT instructional strategy [F1, 60 =3.420, P>0.05]. It was revealed that there is no significant interaction effect of treatments and gender on the mean academic performance scores of students in Chemistry [F1, 123 =.129, P>0.050]. It was recommended among others that since SLIT instructional strategy was found to be effective Strategy for improving students’ academic performance irrespective of gender; Chemistry teachers should adopt the use of spaced learning integrated with technology.