Using group learning strategies to enhance students’ understanding of selected chemical concepts in science,a case study at Bagabaga college of education, Tamale

Abstract

The pre-test, post-test small group control experiment with an element of descriptive survey study was used to examine the effects of group learning on college students’ understanding of chemical concepts in science. The study was conducted at Bagabaga College of Education, Tamale. A total of 102 first year students were used for the study. Test and survey questionnaire were the main instruments used for the study. These consisted of Chemical Concepts Achievement Pre-test (CCAPrT); Chemical Concepts Achievement Post-test (CCAPoT); Chemical Concepts Retention Test CCRT as well as Pre-Attitude test (PrAT) and Post-Attitude test (PoAT). These were developed by the author for the purpose of this study. The test items consisted of 40 questions while the survey questionnaires contained 24 items. University of Education, Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh 14 The data obtained were analysed using t-test to determine if there were significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of performance and retention at 0.05 confidence level, while the Levene’s test for equality of variances was used to investigate the differences in research question 3 at 0.05 confidence level. The t-test analysis of the results showed that there was no significant difference between the control and experimental groups in terms of performance in the pre-test but, there was significant difference between the two groups in the post-test in favour of the experimental group after the treatment. Also, analysis of the post-test and retention-test mean scores of the control and experimental groups showed that the experimental group’s level of retention was higher than that of the control group. Again, analysis of pre-attitude test and post-attitude test mean scores showed significant difference, indicating that the students had improved upon their attitudes towards the learning of chemistry after the intervention.