Effects of analogy instructional strategy on students' performance in wave concept

Abstract

The study investigated effect of analogy instructional strategy on SHS students’ performance on wave concept. The study involved one class of form two physics students in Navrongo Senior High School, selected through purposive and convenience sampling technique, totalling 52 students (12 female and 40 males). The individual teacher research strategy was adopted for the study in which the 52 students were taken through analogies. Data was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods through pre intervention test and post intervention test items and unstructured interview. The students wrote a pre intervention test after which the analogies were used to teach the lesson. The students then wrote a similar test as a post intervention test. A change or otherwise in their performance was ascertained through gain analysis adopted from Richard Hake (1998). Responses obtained from the questionnaire and notes recorded during the observation schedule were also compiled and analysed. The findings from the average normalised gain of the post and pre intervention test scores showed a gain of 0.66, indicating that an effectiveness of the analogy lessons in enhancing performance. A dependent sample t-test conducted showed that there was a significant difference in the pre intervention test and post intervention test score, p= 0.000 (α=0.05). The findings further revealed that the students perceive the analogy instructional strategy to be very effective since it enhanced their performance. The study recommends the use of analogy instructional strategy in physics lessons at the SHS level.