Abstract:
The study was designed to improve students’ academic achievements in physics.
It was the belief of the author that if students’ were allowed to develop higher
cognitive processes through problem-solving instructional strategy using the five
step problem solving heuristic proposed by Williams, Metcalfe, Trinklein and
Lefler, called the Modern Physics Problem Solving Rule, it might improve
positively their academic performance and for that matter increase their interest
in physics. Therefore, effect of incorporating problem solving heuristics in
teaching on the academic performance and interest of students toward physics
was investigated. Kwanyako Senior High School science students constituted the
population of this study. The form two (2) science students numbering twenty
three were selected as the sample for the study. The main instruments used to
collect data were test items and a checklist. The test items consisted of pre intervention test and post-intervention test items. A grading criterion that
emphasizes certain problem solving skills was developed to monitor students’
learning progress. The developed checklist had eight items which captured
certain behaviours that depict an interest or loss of interest in a subject. Duration
of six weeks’ intervention plan with the class using an innovative method of
teaching problem solving strategy was employed. The data collected from pre intervention test and post-intervention test were analysed using frequency counts
and percentages. A paired sample t-test with the aid of the SPSS version 20.0
showed that there was a significant difference in the pre-intervention test and
post-intervention test scores. The post-intervention test analysis manifested that
there had been an improvement in the way students solved physics problems.
With regards to the interest towards physics, the same trend was observed after
the analysis. The students’ interest towards the study of physics was higher after
the implementation of the intervention. Students, who did not enjoy physics, now
asked for more physics problems at the later part of the study. The study
recommends the use of proactive ways of presenting subject material so as to
guide students’ learning efforts. Once the problem- solving abilities of students
are animated, improved performance and interest towards physics will
automatically follow.
Description:
A 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 the award of the Master of Education in Science degree
NOVEMBER, 2016