The study examined Junior Secondary School students' ideas about chemical change. The study also focused on the identification of misconceptions that students might harbour on this concept. It also sought to examine the implications of such ideas for teaching and learning of science at the basic level. Students selected for the study were from well-established and poorly-established schools in the Awutu-Efutu-Senya District in the Central Region of Ghana. In all 464 students were randomly sampled for the study. Instruments used in the study consisted of a test and an interview schedule. The t-test statistic for independent sample was used to test the null hypothesis of the research question. The study found no significant differences between students from both well-endowed and poorly-endowed schools on the ideas they held about chemical change. Students from both well-established and poorly established schools showed common misconceptions about chemical change. Analysis of test and interview revealed the following misconceptions (i) that the burning of a candle is a physical change and (ii) the blackening of a glass rod is due to vapour from the flame.
The study examined Junior High School (JHS) pupils' ideas of the concept air. The study compared the ideas that pupils from endowed schools have about air with those of their counterparts from un-endowed schools. The study also sought to find out the misconceptions pupils have about air and the implications these have on teaching and learning of science at the basic level. The instrument used consisted of a test and an interview schedule developed from topics dealing with the concept of air. The test consisted of multiple-choice items and an essay. Four hundred and sixty-four (464) JHS pupils made up of 235 from endowed and 229 from un-endowed schools were randomly sampled for the study. A t-test (for independent samples) performed on the mean performances of the groups established a significant difference between pupils from endowed and un-endowed schools in favour of pupils from endowed schools. The interview revealed that JHS pupils express themselves better orally than in written form when examined. The interview also established the fact that pupils from endowed schools had better understanding of the nature of air than their counterparts. A number of recommendations were made. Teachers should identify pupils' pre-conceptions on topics to be taught and design appropriate strategies to effect conceptual change.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.