Abstract:
The study is an action research that focused on the application of the technology
Acceptance Model to identify and improve student teachers’ conceptual
understanding in some selected concepts in physics (Matter, Forces and Energy)
within the new four-year Basic Education Curriculum for Colleges of Education.
Further, it sought to improve the performance of student teachers in the selected
concepts and also to improve their attitude and intent to use ICT in science delivery in
their future classrooms. The study was conducted in the Department of Basic
Education, University of Education, Winneba. The sample consisted of 90 student
teachers from one intact class. Tools used in data gathering consisted of a two-tier
questionnaire (for determining conceptual understanding of student teachers). The
main instruments for data gathering were tests (pre-test and post-test) on the three
concepts of interest, a questionnaire for identifying student-teachers’ level of
conceptual understanding, another questionnaire on student teachers views, attitudes
and intent on usage of ICT in science teaching as well as an interview guide . Five
research questions were formulated for the study. Findings of the study reveal that
student teachers held misconceptions in each of these science concepts in the four year teacher education curriculum. After the intervention, the conceptual
understanding of student teachers in each of the three concepts improved. It was also
revealed that there were statistically significant differences (P< 0.05) in the
performance of student teachers before and after the intervention. However, gender
was not seen to be a contributing factor to student teachers’ performance in the
concepts. The key recommendation made was the integral use of ICT in the daily
teaching and learning of science by science lecturers and tutors in the University of
Education, Winneba and Colleges of Education. It was also suggested that
Universities and Colleges of Education should equip science student-teachers with
knowledge and skills on how to access and operate ICT resources and services such as
computers, projectors and internet connectivity to promote the effective usage of these
resources in science teaching and learning at the basic level of education.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Science Education,
Faculty of Science Education, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
(Science Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
