EFFICACY OF NON-FUNCTIONAL CURRICULUM IN THE MOTIVATIONAL LEVEL OF STUDENTS IN LEARNING CHEMISTRY

Abstract

This paper begins by identifying what it sees as the current crisis in curriculum theory that results to nonfunctional curriculum. It argues that recent developments have led to education losing its object. Some of what is taught and learned in school and its distinctive role in the educational chemistry does not focus on the learner’s entitlement to knowledge. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Z- test was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Research design was a descriptive survey design. The sample included one hundred and twenty (120) SS3 chemistry students randomly drawn from four co-education schools in Onitsha Education Zone. The Students’ Motivational Level in Chemistry Questionnaire (SMLCQ) was developed and validated for data collection. The
internal consistency estimate computed for the SMLCQ using Cronbach’s alpha procedure was 0.82. The data generated from the study were analyzed using means and standard deviation. The null hypothesis was tested at the significance level of 0.05. Result of the findings indicated that nonfunctional curriculum does not promote the motivation level of chemistry students. Nonfunctional curriculum affected the motivational level of female students more than their male counterparts. Gender was discovered to have no significant influence on students’ motivational level of nonfunctional curriculum in chemistry. It was recommended among other things that, teachers of chemistry should use functional curriculum in the teaching of chemistry to minimize curriculum crisis in chemistry teaching, this will help to make chemistry concrete, engender students’ interest, increase students’ enthusiasm and promote motivational level of students in learning chemistry. The state government should ensure chemistry curriculum theory is reformed to competent and knowledge based. They should also organize workshops constantly for chemistry teachers, to update their knowledge and sharpen their skills to deliver chemistry effectively.