Abstract:
The study was to investigate the impact of JHS science teachers’ use of concept mapping
on the academic performance of JHS pupils. The study was conducted in the Adaklu
District of the Volta Region in the Republic of Ghana. The design of the study was
pretest-posttest, one group design which employed the mixed method approach. The
sample of the study consisted of 25 JHS integrated science teachers and 102 JHS 2 pupils
from five mixed public junior high schools. A workshop on concept mapping was
organized for the teachers after which the teachers used concept mapping as an
instructional approach. Topics involved in the study were Photosynthesis and the Human
Circulatory System. Data was collected using questionnaires, lesson observation
checklist, science achievement test and interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics
were used to analyse the data. A number of findings emerged from the study: The results
of the study showed significant positive effect of the instructional method (concept
mapping) on pupils’ academic performance in integrated science. The results also
indicated a significant positive correlation between pupils’ concept map scores and
science achievement test scores. Again, the results showed a significant improvement in
pupils’ participation in integrated science lessons. The results further indicated that both
teachers and pupils developed positive attitudes towards concept mapping. It was
concluded that concept mapping as an instructional approach had positive impact on
pupils’ academic performance. The method has therefore been recommended for
adoption by all JHS integrated science teachers for teaching and learning of integrated
science.
Description:
Thesis in the Department of Science Education, Faculty of Science Education,
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for award of the Master of Philosophy
(Science) degree.
OCTOBER, 2015