Effects of Class Sizes on Senior Secondary School Students' Performance in Gas Laws in Dukku Local Government Area, Gombe State

Abstract

The study examined the effects of class sizes on students' performance in gas laws. A quasiexperimental research design of a non-randomized and non-equivalent pre-test and post-test was adopted for the study. The population for the study comprised all five (5) public secondary schools 
located in Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State, totaling 436 students. A purpose sampling technique was used to sample two intact classes of ninety-nine (99) students from the population. The Gas Law Performance Test instrument with 0.82 reliability coefficient was used for collecting data. The method of data analysis adopted by the study includes descriptive statistics and ANCOVA, which were used for answering the two research questions and testing the two null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicated a statistically significant difference in the mean performance scores of the students taught gas laws in small class size and large class size, in favour of the small class size. Also, it was also discovered that class sizes have no effect on students’ gender performance. However, the study recommended educators follow the National Policy on Education, emphasizing optimal student-teacher ratios for improved engagement, peer interaction, and academic performance.