Abstract:
This research was conducted to investigate the effects of using teaching learning
materials (TLMs) and learner-centred approach on performance in physics in Colleges
of Education in Ghana. The target population comprised 15 science and mathematics
colleges of education in Ghana. The accessible population consisted of 3 colleges out
of the 15 science and mathematics colleges of education consistingof second year
science students and their physics tutors in Central and Western Regions of Ghana.
Purposive sampling technique was used to select 90 science students and 3 physics
tutors for the study. A combination of qualitative and quantitative (mixed method)
data collecting instruments including questionnaire, observational checklist and
interview schedules were used in the study. The data analysis involved the use of
SPSS to determine frequency and percentages of responses. A practical
activity/experiment was carried out to find how effective that approach will have on
students’ performance. The findings indicated that physics tutors in colleges of
educations were found of using lecture method to teach physics without involving
their students in lesson mostly practical work and this might have contributed to the
poor performance of science students in physics lessons. It was found out that most of
the science colleges lacked adequate TLMs and resources for practical lessons. The
study found out that using TLMs and learner-centred approach to teach physics
helped and encouraged students to participate more actively in lessons, which resulted
in an improved student’s performance in class. The study recommended that physics
tutors in science colleges of education in Ghana to use TLMs and learner-centred
approach in their teachings, which the study showed to be very effective in improving
the performance of students in physics lessons.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION, FACULTY
OF SCIENCE EDUCATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF
GRADUATE STUDIES, IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA,
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD
OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN SCIENCE
EDUCATION OF THE UNIVERSTY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA
NOVEMBER, 2016