Abstract:
The study investigated the effect of mastery learning approach on the academic
performance of senior high school students and their motivation in Biology. It was
carried out in the Nsaba Presbyterian Senior High School in the Agona East District in
the Central Region of Ghana. The research study adopted the quasi-experimental
research design using the pre-test and post-test design. The sample comprised of 64
second-year science students. This was done using purposive sampling. Two validated
instruments were used which included the Biology Academic Performance Test (pretest
and post-test) which measured the student's academic performance in the selected topic
in Biology and the student's motivation questionnaires (SMQ) which was used to
measure the students' motivation in learning Biology. The sample size were split into
two groups with one serving as the experimental group and the other serving as the
control group. The experimental group was exposed to the mastery learning approach
while the control group was exposed to the traditional lecture approach or method.
After the treatment, a post-test was administered to both groups to determine the
effectiveness of the treatment. The questionnaire was also administered to determine
the levels of their motivation. The tests (pre-test, post-test) and questionnaire results
were then analysed using SPSS version 27.0. When the results of the two methods were
compared, there was a notable distinction between mastery learning and the traditional
lecture method. The responses to the questionnaire proved that majority of students
agreed that the mastery learning approach is an effective method of teaching Biology.
Results also revealed that there was no differential effect of mastery learning approach
on male and female students’ performance in Biology. It is therefore recommended that
Biology teachers should adopt mastery learning approach in teaching and also Biology
teachers should be made to attend workshops, seminars and conferences to update their
knowledge of the methods of teaching concepts in Biology
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Science Education,
Faculty of Science Education, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Science Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
