South Eastern Journal of Research

Research Questions

To investigate the problem of this study, the following research questions guided the study;

1. 
   What are the patterns of interaction in an observed chemistry classroom?
   
2. 
   What are the amount of teacher talk, student talk and period of silence or confusion in an observed chemistry classroom?
   
3. 
   What is the relationship between the amount of teacher talk (direct and indirect influence) in the classroom and students‟ achievement?
   
4. 
   What is the relationship between the amount of student talk (response and initiation) and students‟ achievement?
   
5. 
   What is the relationship between the period of silence or confusion in the classroom and students‟ achievement?
   

Hypotheses

To achieve the purpose of this study, the following hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance

1. 
   There is no significant relationship between the amount of teacher talk (direct and indirect influence) and mean achievement scores of students in chemistry.
   
2. 
   There is no significant relationship between the amount of student talk (response and initiation) and mean achievement scores of students in chemistry.
   
3. 
   There is no significant relationship between the period of silence or period of confusion in the classroom and mean achievement scores of students in chemistry.
   

Method

Correlation survey was used to generate empirical data needed for the study. Correlation survey was used because the study aims at determining the relationship between classroom interaction patterns and students‟ achievement in chemistry in Anambra state secondary schools. The population is 4,419, made up of 65 chemistry teachers and 4,354 senior secondary one (SS1) students, found in the 61 government owned secondary schools in Awka Education
Zone of Anambra state. The sample of the study consisted of 12 chemistry teachers and 450 SS1 students from 12 schools. Two instruments were used to collect data for the study, namely; Science Interaction Categories (SIC) and Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT). SIC had 10 categories and was used to code and analyze the interaction patterns during chemistry lessons in the selected schools used for the study. It is an adaptation of Flanders‟s (1970) observation system designed to code teachers‟ and students‟ behavior during science lessons. CAT had 20 items assessed on a multiple choice scoring scale. It was based on the following topics taught in SS1 when the data were collected for the study: Chemical industries, particulate nature of matter, physical and chemical changes and separation techniques for mixtures.
Data collection was based on classroom observation. Data for the study were collected during the first term of the secondary school academic session and from the 2nd week of the term.
After two-week in school training session by the researcher and two assistants on how to use the SIC in coding classroom interaction during chemistry lessons. Each of the 12 selected teachers was observed during their normal class teaching and interactions coded using a coding sheet containing the SIC. These teachers were observed for three lesson periods spaced over a period of eight weeks, when the topics were taught in the schools. The teachers were observed. Records of activities of the teachers and students in the classroom including period of
silence were taken every 5mins period of interaction, in each lesson, that is 1-5mins, 6-10mins,11-15mins,16- 20mins, 21-25mins, 26-30mins, 31-35mins, 36-40mins and in cases of ambiguity or when two events occurred simultaneously both events were recorded. Therefore eight entries for every 40 minutes lesson were recorded. Each observation took a coding sheet. At the end, the records from the 12 coding sheets for the 12 observations were collated. Thus, in scoring the instrument, the frequency of a particular category in a period was considered. CAT was also administered on the 450 students. The students comprised 212 males and 238 females. The average age of the students is 15.72. Their scores were duly recorded.
Data generated with the instruments was analyzed using frequency, mean, standard deviation, percentage, Pearson Product Moment Correlation for measures of relationship. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance.