An Investigation into Development of Science Process Skills by Senior High School Chemistry Students

Abstract

This study investigated science process skills developed by chemistry students and assessed by West African Examination Council (WAEC) in chemistry education at the Senior High School (SHS) level in Ghana using a descriptive survey with a mixed-method approach. This approach analysed the content of the 2010 Chemistry syllabus and the WAEC chemistry papers 2 & 3 (2012 to 2016) to understand the types and the occurrences of science process skills developed by teachers and which ones were assessed. The study used multi-stage sampling technique to select 904 students and 85 teachers from category A, B and C schools covering 12 education districts in the Central Region of Ghana. Data were collected using questionnaires, document analysis and achievement test instruments. The study revealed that science process skills developed and assessed in chemistry education at the SHS level were mainly communicating, recording, and calculating. Achievement test for the 904 selected students corroborated with the document analysis to show that science process skills like inferring, predicting, classifying and integrated science process skills were not well developed. Literacy, laboratory and problem solving activities were found to be the three main avenues available to help students develop science process skills at the SHS level. The research suggests that skills like inferring, predicting, classifying and integrated science process skills should be emphasised in the WAEC SHS examinations and in the school curriculum. Also, workshops should be organised by GES to sensitise SHS teachers on the need for their students to develop science process skills during teaching and that these skills need to be assessed during school-based assessment.