Benue State University, Makurdi

INFLUENCE OF GENDER AND LEARNING STYLES ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY IN ZONE A, BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Aondo’Ahemen Anwam and Peter Ogbu Agogo^*

Abstract

The study examined the influence of gender and learning styles on students’ academic performance in Chemistry in Sankera axis of zone A, Benue state. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted Ex-post facto research design. The population of the study was 2318 students (1214 boys and 1104 girls) from 38 public senior secondary schools in the three local government areas. A sample of 232 chemistry students (120 boys and 112 girls) was drawn using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using Chemistry Performance Test (CPT) and Students’ Learning Style Inventory (SLSI) with the reliability coefficient of 0.86 using K-R 20 and 0.88 using Cronbach Alpha respectively. Research question one was answered using percentage, while research questions two to five were answered using mean and standard deviation. Null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using One-way ANOVA for hypothesis one and t-test to test hypotheses two to four. The findings revealed that the prevailing students’ learning style in Chemistry is kinesthetic learning style. There was no significant difference between the mean academic performance scores among visual, auditory and kinesthetic style learners (F=2.497, P=0.09>0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean academic performance scores between male and female visual style learners (t=1.448, df=63, P=0.15>0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean academic performance scores between male and female auditory style learners (t=1.384, df=52, p=0.17>0.05). There was a significant difference in the mean academic performance scores between male and female kinesthetic style learners in favour of the male students (t=2.700, df=111, p=0.01 < 0.05). It was recommended that since visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles were found to enhance the performance of students in Chemistry, teachers should therefore vary their teaching methods and strategies to pave way for students to use different learning styles.

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