Learning Analytics Indicators and The Development of ProblemSolving Skills in Chemistry: A Historical Cohort Study of Secondary School Students in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

This study examined learning analytics indicators and the development of problem-solving skills in Chemistry among secondary school students in Federal Unity Colleges in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, between 2020 and 2025. Specifically, the study assessed trends in learning analytics indicators and determined changes in students' Chemistry problem-solving skills over the observation periods. A quantitative historical cohort research design was adopted, involving 250 students with 750 student-period records across three observation waves. Data were obtained from existing academic records using two structured instruments: the Learning Analytics Data Extraction Checklist (LADEC) and the Chemistry Problem-Solving Skills Assessment Record (CPSSAR). Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were employed to answer the research questions, while Gaussian generalised estimating equation models were used to test the null hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that attendance, classroom participation, and assignment completion remained relatively stable across the observation periods, with no statistically significant changes (p > .05). However, formative assessment performance increased significantly from 53.30% to 58.32% (p < .001). Similarly, students' Chemistry problem-solving scores increased from 47.92% in the first observation wave to 56.73% in the third, representing a statistically significant improvement, χ²(2) = 98.60, p < .001. The study concluded that learning analytics indicators exhibited different longitudinal patterns, while Chemistry problem-solving performance improved significantly over time. It was recommended that Chemistry teachers and school administrators adopt multidimensional learning analytics practices and strengthen structured problem-solving activities and competency-based assessments to support students' cognitive development.