EXTRAVERSION AND GENDER AS CORRELATES OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS ACQUISITION IN CHEMISTRY QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The study investigated extraversion and gender as correlates
of science process skills acquisition in Chemistry qualitative
analysis among senior secondary school students in Enugu State,
Nigeria. The study was guided by two research questions
and two hypotheses. A correlational research design was
adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised
5,754 senior secondary school three (SSIII) Chemistry
students in 292 public secondary schools in Enugu State. A
sample size of 360 SSIII Chemistry students in 2021/2022
academic session drawn using multi-stage sampling procedure
was used for the study. Students’ extraversion inventory (SEI)
and Chemistry qualitative analysis skills rating scale
(CQASRS) were the instruments used for data collection. The
two instruments were face validated by five experts and construct
validity was done on SEI using factor analysis. The
reliability coefficient of SEI items was established using
Cronbach Alpha method as 0.85. The reliability estimate of
CQASRS was established using Kendall`s Co-efficient of
concordance (w) as 0.92. The research questions and hypotheses
(tested at 0.05 level of significance) were answered using
Correlation coefficients (r) of Pearson, ANOVA of linear
regression and Hayes Process Analysis. Findings of the study
revealed that the relationship between students’ extraversion and their science process skills acquisition in chemistry
qualitative analysis was moderate, positive and significant.
The moderating influence of gender on the relationship
between students’ extraversion and their acquisition of science
process skills in Chemistry qualitative analysis was high,
positive and not significant. Based on the findings of the study, it
was recommended amongst others that, students should be
encouraged to undergo self-assessment of their extraversion
personality in the way they view and interpret Chemistry
qualitative analysis.