Using concept mapping strategy to improve the teaching and learning of mole concept in keta Business College

Abstract

The study investigated the Use of Concept Mapping Strategy to Improve the Teaching of Mole Concept in Keta Business College. This study adopted action research design in the form of pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention stages. The study focused on the academic achievement and retention in mole concept among Senior High School Integrated Science students in Keta Business College, Keta. A total of 30 form two students of General Arts 2B from the school was intactly selected from a population of 673 students of seventeen classes of the form two using balloting technique. The students were taught Mole concept using concept mapping strategy at the intervention stage. The instruments used for data collection were semi-structured interview, Mole Concept Achievement Test (MCAT), Questionnaire and Mole Concept Construction Test (MCCT). The instruments were validated by both Chemistry teachers in the Keta Business College and lecturers in Science Education Department. The Reliability coefficient of MCAT was 0.92. Students‟ scores from these halves were then correlated using the Spearman-Brown formula used in reliability testing. Based on the objectives, this study was guided by four research questions and answered using descriptive statistics. The results of the pre-intervention and post-intervention tests were compared and tested at 0.05 level of significance using statistical paired t-test. The results obtained from data analysis showed that students performed significantly better in both academic achievement and retention in mole concept. The study recommended among others that Integrated Science teachers should be trained and encouraged by GAST in the country to use concept mapping strategy in teaching Integrated Science.