Effect of teaching problem solving heurestics on the academic performance of SHS students in physics

Abstract

The study was designed to improve students’ academic achievements in physics. It was the belief of the author that if students’ were allowed to develop higher cognitive processes through problem-solving instructional strategy using the five step problem solving heuristic proposed by Williams, Metcalfe, Trinklein and Lefler, called the Modern Physics Problem Solving Rule, it might improve positively their academic performance and for that matter increase their interest in physics. Therefore, effect of incorporating problem solving heuristics in teaching on the academic performance and interest of students toward physics was investigated. Kwanyako Senior High School science students constituted the population of this study. The form two (2) science students numbering twenty three were selected as the sample for the study. The main instruments used to collect data were test items and a checklist. The test items consisted of pre intervention test and post-intervention test items. A grading criterion that emphasizes certain problem solving skills was developed to monitor students’ learning progress. The developed checklist had eight items which captured certain behaviours that depict an interest or loss of interest in a subject. Duration of six weeks’ intervention plan with the class using an innovative method of teaching problem solving strategy was employed. The data collected from pre intervention test and post-intervention test were analysed using frequency counts and percentages. A paired sample t-test with the aid of the SPSS version 20.0 showed that there was a significant difference in the pre-intervention test and post-intervention test scores. The post-intervention test analysis manifested that there had been an improvement in the way students solved physics problems. With regards to the interest towards physics, the same trend was observed after the analysis. The students’ interest towards the study of physics was higher after the implementation of the intervention. Students, who did not enjoy physics, now asked for more physics problems at the later part of the study. The study recommends the use of proactive ways of presenting subject material so as to guide students’ learning efforts. Once the problem- solving abilities of students are animated, improved performance and interest towards physics will automatically follow.