Effects of the constructivist teaching approach on senior high school students’ performance in algebra in the Gomoa East district of Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Constructivist Teaching Approach (CTA) on senior high school students‟ performance in algebra in the Gomoa East District. The study was conducted in two senior high schools in the Gomoa East District of Ghana with a six-week intervention programme. Participants consisted of one hundred and forty ( form two (2) students from the two participating schools with students from one of the schools serving as the control group whilst students from the other school served as the experimental group. The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed method approach which combined elements of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The Algebra Concept Achievement Test (ACAT) and questionnaires served as the main instruments for the quantitative approach, whilst the qualitative approach employed interviews and lesson observations. The analysis of the pre-test and post-test scores were based on quantitative data collected using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results from the paired sample t-test showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in the scores between students who were taught using the constructivist approach than those who were taught using the traditional approach, (M = 78.51, SD = 19.25), t (69) = 20.2, p < 0.05). Also, analysis of data from the questionnaire and interviews administered to the students to solicit their views about the constructivist method of teaching revealed that, the method made lessons more interesting, practical and easy to understand although some students agreed otherwise. It was therefore recommended that the classroom practice which was more teacher centred needed to be critically examined and teaching should aim at encouraging collaborative learning and constructive discourse. Teachers should therefore incorporate the use of constructivist teaching approach in their classroom teaching.