Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of problem-based learning on
students‘ cognitive achievements in some selected topics in chemistry. The research
design employed for the study was Quasi-Experimental specifically non-equivalent
control group pretest–posttest design. The total population considered for the study
consisted of Two hundred and fifty (250) second year senior high school students‘
who learn chemistry as an elective subject in Nkrankwanta Senior High Technical
School. The sample size was Eighty-five (85) elective chemistry students in
Nkrankwanta Senior High Technical School. Two intact classrooms were used for the
study. The control group consisted of forty five (45) second year science students and
the experimental group was equally Forty (40) second year Agricultural science
students‘. Tests (Chemistry Achievement Test) and questionnaire with reliability
coefficient of 0.80 were the instruments used for data gathering. Chemistry
achievement pre-test was administered to both experimental and control groups. An
intervention was carried out for the experimental group after which chemistry
achievement post-test was also administered to both groups. Descriptive statistics
such as percentages, mean , standard deviation and inferential statistics independent
samples t-test, and paired samples t-test were used in analysing the collected data to
answer four research questions and two null hypotheses, which were tested at 0.05
level of significance. The t-test results for control and experimental groups indicated
that there was a statistically significance difference between students Post-test scores
of both Control group exposed to Traditional method and Experimental group
exposed to Problem-Based Learning approach. Also, the inferential statistics carried
on the pre-test and posttest scores of students‘ in the experimental group exposed to
Problem-Based Learning approach revealed there was no statistically significant
difference between the cognitive achievement of male and female students‘ in
chemistry. The study therefore recommends the need for inclusion of problem-based
learning approach in the Senior High School chemistry syllabus and textbooks as this
can result in significantly higher students‘ cognitive achievement in chemistry
concepts such as redox reaction and acid-base concepts than the conventional
approach (traditional learning approach).
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Science Education, Faculty of Science Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Science Education) in the University of Education, Winneba
MARCH, 2022