Misconceptions of Concepts in Chemistry among Senior Secondary School Teachers in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the misconceptions by chemistry teachers of senior secondary three (SSIII) in Cross River State, Nigeria. Concepts investigated were hydrocarbons, alkanols, alkanoic acids, pollution, classification and nomenclature of carbon compounds, natural products, chemistry in industry, extraction of metals, fats and oils, amino acids and biotechnology. The sample consisted of seventy three (54 male and 19 female) teachers purposively drawn from forty two randomly selected schools in the three educational zones of Cross River state. Research data were collected using 60-item multiple choice tests of the concepts administered to the teachers. These were subjected to statistical analysis using Z-test for single proportions. The study have shown that senior secondary chemistry teachers do have some misconceptions in hydrocarbon, pollution, classification and nomenclature of carbon compounds, extraction of metals, fats and oil, alkanols, alkanoic acids, biotechnology and, amino acids. It was concluded that students may be negatively impacted by their teachers’ misconceptions during classroom interactions and may thus not have a full grasp of what specialists expect from them during evaluation of what have been studied at this level. It was therefore recommended that chemistry teachers should endeavor to attend workshops seminars and conferences of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and Curriculum Organization of Nigeria (CON) where some of these deficiencies are highlighted and explained.

Keywords: misconceptions, extraction of metals, pollution, nomenclatures, biotechnology, alkanols and alkanoic acid.