Comparative Effects of Three (3) Constructivist Instructional Strategies on Students’ Academic Achievement in Chemical Bonding

This research examined how three different constructivist-based instructional strategies influence students’ performance in the concept of chemical bonding. The research employed a quasi-experimental design, utilizing a pretest-posttest model with non-equivalent control groups. The participant population consisted of 1,795 SS1 students from sixteen co-educational public secondary schools in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area during the 2023/2024 academic year. A total of 137 Chemistry students in SS1, were chosen from three intact classes which served as the study sample. Out of the sixteen public secondary schools in the study area, three were chosen using a simple random sampling method. The primary instrument for data collection was the researcher-designed Chemistry Achievement Test on Chemical Bonding (CATCB). Validity of the instrument was done by two Chemistry lecturers and a Measurement and Evaluation specialist from the Department of Science Education, Akwa Ibom State University. A reliability analysis using the Kuder-Richardson 20 (KR-20) formula produced a coefficient of 0.95, indicating a high degree of internal consistency. Data analysis was conducted employing descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings revealed statistically significant differences in mean achievement scores across the three instructional groups, with the computer simulation cohort demonstrating the highest performance. Furthermore, the analysis showed that gender did not exert a significant effect on student achievement across any of the three instructional strategies. Hence, both computer simulation and jigsaw strategies effectively enhanced students’ academic outcomes. A primary conclusion was that Chemistry educators should integrate innovative strategies, specifically computer simulations and jigsaw techniques, to enhance the delivery and mastery of Chemistry content.