Using molecular model set to improve academic performance in naming organic compounds at Effiduase senior high school, Sekyere East district, Kumasi.

Abstract

This research was primarily designed to help improve students’ academic performance in naming organic compounds using molecular model set in Effiduase Senior High School in the Sekyere East district of the Ashanti Region. Experimental design was used for this study where the form three science classes were put into two groups. Science one students formed the control group and were taught using traditional approach while the science two students comprised the experimental group and were taught using the molecular model set. An independent-sample t-test analysis was used to analyse the scores from the tests to show the impact of molecular model set teaching strategy on students’ academic performance. The mean value of the pre-intervention test was 25.32 (SD=2.659) and that of the post-intervention test was 36.02 (SD=4.51). The mean values showed that there was an improvement in the academic performance of the students in the experimental group. In the independent sample T-test, the p-value (p= 0.000 <0.05), meaning that there was a significant difference in academic performance between the students in the experimental group and that of the control group. The performance of gender was also checked and the results from this study showed that in both the pre-and post-tests for both experimental and control group, the male students performed better in all aspect of the tests. The independent sample t-test analysis gave a p-value of 0.000 (=0.05) showing that there was statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the male students and the mean scores of the female students. It was concluded that the use of molecular model set teaching approaches should be integrated into teaching of challenging chemistry concepts at the senior high school level in Ghana.