Effect of Procedural Knowledge Instructional Technique on Chemistry Students' Practical Skills Acquisition in Qualitative Analysis

The study investigated the effect of procedural knowledge instructional technique on students’ practical skills acquisition in qualitative analysis. The population of the study consisted of 2,134 SS2 chemistry students in Nsukka Education Zone, Enugu State. The sample size for the study was 237 students drawn from eight schools out of fifty – eight public schools in the area. The design of the study was non - randomized control group quasi – experimental design. Two research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings showed that: Procedural knowledge instructional technique (PKIT) enhances acquisition of science practical skills necessary for science and good performance in qualitative analysis in chemistry. It was therefore, recommended that teachers of chemistry should be encouraged to use PKIT in teaching qualitative analysis. In so doing, the practical skills acquisition of students in qualitative analysis in chemistry could be enhanced irrespective of school location.