Does Learner-Centred Approach Improve High School Learners’ Understanding of Acids and Bases Topic? A Case of Two Selected Secondary Schools in Ohangwena Region, Namibia

Abstract

This paper presents findings on a study that was conducted at two selected secondary schools in Ohangwena educational region in Namibia. The study used a quantitative approach to investigate if using learner-centred approach improves learners' understanding of acids and bases. With a sample of 80 grade 11 learners taking Physical Science Ordinary level, a quasi-experimental design was used to collect data from two schools for two weeks (one week at each school). The Pre-test, post-test scores from the control group consisting of 40 learners from school A and an experimental group of 40 learners from school B were used to establish the cause and effect relationship between the use of Learner-Centred Approach (LCA) and learners' understanding of acids and bases based on their performance in the tests were given. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the quantitative data from the tests cores and a t-test analysis was conducted for both groups. The study results indicated that the experimental group performed better than the control group. It also emerged that using various learner-centred activities attracted learners' interests in learning and understanding acids and bases. It is therefore concluded that learner-centred approaches improved high school learners' understanding of the topic acids and bases. The study recommends that Physical Science teachers should make the teaching and learning of acids and bases more practical-based by using learner-centred approaches.

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The importance of practical work in the teaching and learning of integrated natural sciences and health education at the University of Namibia, Rundu Campus

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