Abstract
The study investigated the effect of inquiry-based learning on Chemistry academic performance and critical thinking among Senior Secondary School II students in selected urban and rural public secondary schools in Sokoto State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was adopted. A sample of 240 students was selected from twelve public secondary schools comprising six urban and six rural schools using a multistage sampling technique. Two instruments, the Chemistry Academic Performance Test (CAT) and Critical Thinking Skills Scale (CTSS), were used for data collection, with reliability coefficients of 0.84 and 0.87, respectively. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that students taught using inquiry-based learning obtained higher posttest Chemistry performance scores than those taught using the conventional teaching method. Similarly, the inquiry-based learning group recorded higher critical thinking scores than the control group. ANCOVA showed significant differences in Chemistry performance and critical thinking, in favour of inquiry-based learning. Urban students performed slightly better than rural students did, although the effect of school location was small. The study recommended regular adoption of inquirybased learning, teacher professional development, provision of adequate laboratory facilities and instructional materials, and integration of inquiry-oriented activities into the Chemistry curriculum.
2026-08-08
Vol. 2 Issue No. 3 July 2026
Articles
Inquiry-based learning, Chemistry performance, critical thinking, secondary school students, Sokoto State
Vol. 2 Issue No. 3 July 2026
/ ArticleEFFECT OF INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY AND CRITICAL THINKING AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN URBAN AND RURAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA
GABI, V.E
Department of Science Education, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state
vincentgabi6@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8099-0277
JOSEPH, G.G
Department of Science Education, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state
AUSA, A.A
Department of Science Education, Federal College of Education, Gidan Madi, Sokoto State
IBRAHIM, R.U
Department of Science Education, Federal College of Education, Gidan Madi, Sokoto State
YAKI, A.A
Department of Science Education, Federal College of Education, Gidan Madi, Sokoto State