INFLUENCE OF CHEMISTRY TEACHER'S MOTIVATION AND REINFORCEMENT ON STUDENTS ATTITUDE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN CHEMISTRY

ABSTRACT This study examined how chemistry teacher’s motivation and reinforcement can affect student’s attitude towards chemistry in selected senior secondary schools in Lokoja Government Area of Kogi State. The main purpose was to find out whether teachers’ encouragement, praise and reward can make students develop a more positive attitude towards learning chemistry. The study adopted a survey research design, a total of 80 students and 20 chemistry teachers were selected as the sample. Data were collected through a questionnaire for both students and teachers. A pilot study with 15 students and 5 teachers showed a reliability coefficient of 0.78, which indicated that the questionnaire was reliable. The data were analyzed using simple percentages, mean scores and t-test statistics. The results showed that teachers’ motivation (such as encouragement and enthusiasm) had a positive influence on students’ interest and attitude in chemistry. Reinforcement strategies like praise and reward also improved students’ classroom participation. The findings further revealed a significant difference between students who were highly motivated/reinforced by their teachers and those who were not. The study concluded that chemistry teacher’s motivation and reinforcement strategies are important in helping students develop interest and perform better in chemistry. It was recommended that teachers should use more motivational techniques in their classrooms through training and resources to make chemistry learning more effective.