Effect of concept mapping on the performance of Apam Senior High School students on photosynthesis

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the the effect of concept maps or mappings on the performance of Apam Senior High School Students on photosynthesis. A convenience sampling was used to select 55 Home Economic students of Apam Senior High School. Biology Achievement Test on photosynthesis was used to assess the students‟ performance. Interviews and a five points Likert scale questionnaire was also designed to determine the students' response to the use of concept maps. A Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.86 was obtained which indicated that the instruments used were reliable. To ensure that the instruments were valid, both tests were developed from the SHS biology textbooks and the syllabus. Their responses from the questionnaires were also used to design observation schedule to confirm the students‟ responses and opinions in the questionnaire. The major findings that came out of the study were that; there was a significant difference between the pretest and posttest means scores of the students and that they performed better when concept maps were used to teach them. There was also a significant difference between the performance of males to females and that the males outperformed their female counterparts in the study. Also, after the used of the intervention, the students were enthused with the use of concept mapping strategy and that the intervention helped them to perform better. The students also felt that concept mapping helped them to keep ideas longer in their memories and reduced rote memorization of facts.