Using student-centred and reciprocal instructional approaches to promote SHS students’ understanding of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, a comparative study

Abstract

The purpose of this action research was to investigate possible ways of improving students’ achievements in photosynthesis and cellular respiration using student-centred and reciprocal instructional approaches. The target population comprised all SHS biology students in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region. The accessible population was made up of SHS biology students in Ada Senior High School. A sample of 90 students in two intact classes was used for the study. Data collection lasted six weeks and comprised Pre-Intervention Activities, Intervention Activities and Post-Intervention Activities. The instruments used were test items and an observation checklist. Before the instruments were used for data collection, the main research instrument was subjected to content-validation analysis with the help of the researcher’s supervisors. Additionally, the reliability index of the main instrument was determined to be 0.97. Part of the data was analyzed using frequency counts, simple percentages means and standard deviation scores. They were later tabulated and also presented as multiple bar charts in different figures. The data was subjected to narrative description by reference to the appropriate research questions. Among other findings, the study revealed that students instructed using reciprocal instructional approaches obtained relatively higher achievement scores on concepts in photosynthesis and cellular respiration than those taught with student-centred instructional approaches. Based on the findings of this study it was recommended that biology teachers in the selected school should organize more reciprocal instructional activities. It was also recommended that student-centred activities be adopted as alternative instructional approaches by biology teachers in the target school.