Abstract:
This study investigated students' misconceptions regarding the concepts of force,
motion, and pressure at Wesley Girls' High School and evaluated how well these
misconceptions might be corrected through the use of a conceptual change model
teaching strategy. The conceptual change theory served as the foundation for the
study's framework. For the study, an action research design was used. Eighty
students were selected for the study from two Form 2 General Art classes at Wesley
Girls' High School using a purposeful sampling strategy. Students' misconceptions
were investigated using the Students Misconception Diagnostic Test (SMDT). Over
the course of a month, the students were instructed utilising the conceptual change
model. In order to distinguish between the variations in the students' academic
achievements, the SMDTs were then carefully structured and administered to the
students as the Science Performance Test (SPT). The SMDT results showed that
students lacked understanding and had serious misconceptions regarding the
concepts of force, motion, and pressure. A quantitative analysis (t-test) was done to
determine students mean scores between the SMDT and SPT. Results from the
analysis revealed that the Conceptual Change Model strategy is a strong strategy to
remediate students’ misconceptions. Students mean scores from the SPT was
significantly higher (m = 1.42, SD = 0.497) than the mean scores from the SMDT
(m = 1.00, SD = 0.00, t = -2.054, p < 0.001). Eight students from each class made
up the group of 16 were interviewed to find out how they felt about the conceptual
change model as an intervention. A qualitative analysis of the data was performed.
The interview segment also demonstrated that after using the CCM approach, the
majority of students' misconceptions about force, motion, and pressure were cleared
up. It is therefore recommended that before beginning lessons, science teachers are
advised to ascertain their students' preconceptions in order to correct any
misconceptions regarding the concepts of force, motion, and pressure utilising the
conceptual change model approach.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Science Education,
Faculty of Science,
Submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, in Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Award of
Master of Philosophy (Science Education)
at the University of Education, Winneba
MAY 2023