Misconceptions held by first-year general science students about the concept ‘solutions’: A case study of students of Keta Senior High Technical School, Volta Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study was aimed at unveiling and establishing the extent of misconceptions students held about the concept „solutions‟. The study used both qualitative and quantitative designs in a mixed Senior High School. The study involved one hundred and thirty-six participants. Data collection for the study was done using questionnaires, interview and the classroom observation. Analyses of the data from all three instruments revealed very similar findings. The study revealed that majority (60%) of the students held the misconception that alcohol in water was not a solution, 44.08% of the participants involved in the study were also of the view that a solution is only formed when a solid substance dissolves in a liquid . It was also revealed that the teacher(s) who taught the concept used an ineffective and traditional teaching approach which perhaps contributed to the misconceptions the students held. The results were interpreted using Descriptive statistics after the data analyses using Microsoft Excel. The findings indicated that due to the large extent of misconception held, this could affect the understanding of certain key concepts in the course of their study. This study has therefore made appropriate recommendations which when implemented could eliminate or reduce to the barest minimum the extent of misconception in future students of Keta Senior High Technical School.