Using activity method to improve basic school pupils’ performance in integrated science

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to use the practical activity method (hands-on) as the most effective instructional teaching approach or style to improve pupils’ academic performance in the learning of mixtures and changes of state of matter for pupils of Effutu Municipal Assembly Primary School. The study used a case study design (action research) and non-probability and purposive sampling techniques in choosing the participants for this study who were Primary Five pupils of the Effutu Municipal Assembly Primary School to obtain data for the study. The sample size for the study was sixty-three (63). Test and observation schedules were the main research instruments used. The data obtained from the tests were analysed using Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and related-samples wilcoxon Signed Rank test statistical tools to find out pupils’ achievement level after the intervention (activity method). The results revealed that the pupils had very limited knowledge and conceptual understanding of mixtures and changes of state of matter because the mean for all the pre-intervention test were very small as compared to the mean for the post intervention test. The results also showed that the performance of the pupils improved significantly after the activity method of teaching and learning of science interventions for mixtures and change of state of matter was carried out in the school. The results further indicated that, there was a statistically significant difference of 0.00 between pre-intervention and post- intervention performance of pupils’ preconceptions of mixtures. There was also a statistically significant difference of 0.00, between pre-intervention and post- intervention performance of the pupils’ conceptual understanding of mixtures and change of state of matter. It was recommended that the study be replicated using the activity method of teaching as instructional strategy to teach other concepts in integrated science.