EXPLORING THE ROLES OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ON STUDENTS’ COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY

<doi>10.24250/jpe/2/2025/AAU/MFA/CCE/</doi>

Abstract

The study investigated the roles of differentiated instruction
on cognitive engagement and achievement among colleges
of education chemistry students in South-West, Nigeria.
Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the
study. Non-randomized Quasi-experimental design was
used for the study. The population of the study was 240
year three students of chemistry in Federal Colleges of
Education in South-West, Nigeria. A sample size of 180
students was purposively selected from three schools.
Students’ Cognitive Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ)
adapted from Barlow et al. (2020) and Chemistry
Achievement Test (CAT) developed by the researchers,
were the instruments used for data collection. These
instruments were validated by three experts in Psychology,
Chemistry, and Measurement and Evaluation, Faculty of
education, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Internal
consistency reliability coefficient of SCEQ was established
using Cronbach Alpha technique as 0.82. Kuder
Richardson formula 20 was used to estimate reliability
coefficient of CAT as 0.76. SCEQ and CAT were
administered
to the students with the help of the
research assistants. Mean and standard deviation were
used to answer research questions, whereas t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.The
result showed that the students taught chemistry using
differentiated instruction improved in their cognitive
engagement and achievement. The study also revealed that
there were significant difference in the mean cognitive
engagement and achievement scores of students taught
with differentiated instruction and those taught using
lecture method. It was recommended amongst others that
Chemistry teachers should adopt the approach as it would
foster improve cognitive engagement and achievement
among Chemistry students.