Context-Based Chemistry Instruction Catalyses Higher-Order Thinking for Sustainable Development
*1Hassan Aliyu, 2Bilal Usman Abdullahi, 3Sharhabilu Malami and 4Mustapha Aliyu
*1,23,&4Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Sokoto State University (SSU), Sokoto State, Nigeria Email: aliyu.hassan@ssu.edu.ng, Orcid ID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4929-3126
Cite this as: Aliyu, H., Abdullahi, B. U., Malami, S., & Aliyu, M. (2026). Context-Based Chemistry Instruction Catalyses Higher-Order Thinking for Sustainable Development. Rima International Journal of Education, 5(1), 213—229. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65760/rijessu.v5.1.15
Abstract
The effective application of chemical principles is essential for addressing environmental challenges such as water contamination and energy inefficiency. Yet traditional chemistry instruction frequently fails to cultivate the higher‑order thinking skills required to translate abstract concepts into sustainable solutions. Here we show that Context‑Based Chemistry Instruction (CBCI) more than doubles the progression from lower‑order recall to analysis, evaluation, and creation compared to traditional didactic methods. In a quasi‑experimental design with 120 Nigerian secondary students (60 per group) over 12 weeks, groups were equivalent at baseline (pre‑test mean difference = 0.75, p = 0.110). The experimental group using CBCI achieved a mean gain of 8.07 points (SD = 4.51) on the Chemistry Higher‑Order Thinking Performance Test, while the control group gained 3.22 points (SD = 3.52; paired t within experimental = 13.86, p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 1.79). For synthesising actionable solutions to local sustainability problems, the experimental group outperformed the control by 5.60 points (95% CI [4.42, 6.78], t(118) = 9.47, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.73). These results demonstrate that embedding chemistry within authentic environmental narratives transforms cognitive processing toward creation‑level competency. Context‑based instruction alone, without digital technology, produces very large effects on higher‑order thinking in chemistry for sustainable development.
Keywords
Context‑Based Chemistry Instruction, Higher‑Order Thinking Skills, Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy, Sustainable Development, Chemistry Education
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