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Abstract
The study investigated the effectiveness of group and individual laboratory works on students achievement and interest in some senior secondary chemistry concepts. Three research questions were posed and two null hypotheses which were tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design specifically referred to as the pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group design. The study was carried out in Enugu South Education zone of Enugu State. The sample which consisted of one hundred students from one co-education secondary school were stratified in terms of group, individual and gender. The instrument for data collection was the oxygen/hydrogen achievement test (OHAT). The OHAT was face and content validated by three specialists in the area of science education. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined to be 0.65 using Kuder-Richardson Formular (20). The subjects were pre-tested before the treatment and post test was administered after the treatment. Data analysis involved the use of means, standard deviations and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result revealed that students taught oxygen and hydrogen by working in small groups in the laboratory performed better that student taught oxygen and hydrogen by working individually in the chemistry laboratory. Again male students performed better than female counterparts both in students that worked in group and those that worked individually. Following from the findings of the study, it was recommended that the method of working collectively in small groups in the chemistry laboratory practical should be emphasized in the curriculum of pre-service teacher and chemistry students. Seminars and workshops should also be conducted for serving secondary school chemistry teachers so as to acquaint them with how to organize students in the chemistry laboratory for more learning of chemistry concepts. Keywords: Students, Learning, Chemistry, Group, Laboratory works