Using problem-based learning to enhance students’ performance in their study of the mole concept

Abstract

This study sought to enhance the academic performance of students in mole concept using problem-based learning instructional approach. The individual teacher action research strategy was adopted for the study in which the students were taken through four-weeks interactive lessons by the intervention of problem-based learning (PBL) as a teaching learning technique. The target population for the study was all general science students of Obiri Yeboah Senior High School in the Assin Foso Municipality of the Central Region. The accessible population was form two general science students of Obiri Yeboah SHS. Convenience sampling technique was used to select an intact class of thirty-nine (39) students which was made up of twenty-two (22) males and seventeen (17) females. The instrument used in data collection were the Pre and Post Mole Concept Achievement Test (MCAT) and Students pre and post Perception and Attitude towards mole concept Questionnaire (PREPAQ and POSPAQ). Data were analyzed using t-test, bar charts, pie charts and percentages. Hypotheses were accepted or rejected at a significant level of 0.05. The mean values for the pre-intervention and post-intervention test results were 19.43 and 31.60 respectively which indicates an improvement in academic performance of students. This shows that the students performed better after the intervention of PBL. To determine whether there was a significant difference between students’ pre and post test scores a paired samples t-test was carried out which gave a significant difference between the pre and post test scores of students at a p value of 0.000 (α=0.05). The results from the questionnaire also revealed that students’ perception and attitude changed positively after the PBL intervention. Finally, the results from the t-test carried out on the scores between male and female students after the PBL intervention indicated that there was no significant difference between male and female scores at a p-value of 0.456(p > 0.05). In view of these, it is recommended that teachers in Senior High Schools should be encouraged to use PBL as an instructional approach for teaching and learning to enhance students conceptual understanding and academic performance in mole concept.