The Effects of Reciprocal Peer Tutoring on Chemistry Students’ Achievement and Retention in Chemical Kinetics in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT) strategy on chemistry students’ achievement and retention in chemical kinetics in Jos metropolis. It specifically attempted to determine and compare the achievements of students exposed to RPT and conventional teaching. The quasi-experimental design, specifically the pretest-posttest - control group design was used. The sample consisted of 86 students drawn from two randomly selected secondary schools. There were 41 students in the control class and 46 in the experimental class. A chemical kinetics achievement test (CKAT) was used to collect data from respondents and the data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that the students exposed to RPT significantly achieved better than those exposed to conventional teaching. Similarly, those students that were taught using RPT were significantly better than those exposed to conventional teaching in the retention of what was taught them after four weeks. There was no significant difference in the achievement and retention of male and female students taught using RPT strategy. The study concluded that the achievement and retention of male and female chemistry students of the students is enhanced when exposed to reciprocal peer tutoring strategy. It is recommended that reciprocal peer tutoring strategy should be used by chemistry teachers in order to improve the achievement and retention of male and female chemistry students in the subject. Furthermore, a study should be conducted to find out the effect of varying RPT on students’ achievement and retention in chemistry.

Keywords: Reciprocal peer tutoring, achievement, retention, chemical kinetics

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-24-13

Publication date:August 31^st 2021