Identifying the Process Skills Involved in Teaching Chemistry through the Extraction of Oil from Castor Oil Seed

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to discover the process skills needed to teach chemistry by extracting oil from castor oil seeds. A pure experimental research design was used for the investigation. The study is guided by one null hypothesis and three research questions. The population was made up of all 2,305 SS1 Chemistry students from five government-owned secondary schools in the local government area of Otuocha, Anambra East. 120 SS1 chemistry students were selected as a sample using basic random instruction. The instrument for data collection was established using fifteen (15) Process Skills Observation Guide (PSOG). Observing, classifying, communicating, measuring, counting and using number, inferring, predicting, experimenting, questioning, manipulating, formulating hypothesis, controlling variable, formulating models, interpreting data and making operational definitions. The mean and standard deviation were used to validate and assess the instrument. The hypothesis was tested at the 0.05 significant levels using the Z test. The results showed that 4.8 kg of castor seed was required to produce 1000 cm3, that 13 out of 15 process skills were acquired, only classifying and inferring were not acquired, that male students had a high level of acquisition of science process skills, and that gender had no discernible effect. Nonetheless, recommendations were made and the educational ramifications were mentioned.