Abstract:
This research was conducted to investigate the effects of using teaching learning
materials (TLMs) and learner-centred approach on performance in physics in Colleges of
Education in Ghana. The target population comprised 15 science and mathematics
colleges of education in Ghana. The accessible population consisted of 3 colleges out of
the 15 science and mathematics colleges of education consistingof second year science
students and their physics tutors in Central and Western Regions of Ghana. Purposive
sampling technique was used to select 90 science students and 3 physics tutors for the
study. A combination of qualitative and quantitative (mixed method) data collecting
instruments including questionnaire, observational checklist and interview schedules
were used in the study. The data analysis involved the use of SPSS to determine
frequency and percentages of responses. A practical activity/experiment was carried out
to find how effective that approach will have on students’ performance. The findings
indicated that physics tutors in colleges of educations were found of using lecture method
to teach physics without involving their students in lesson mostly practical work and this
might have contributed to the poor performance of science students in physics lessons. It
was found out that most of the science colleges lacked adequate TLMs and resources for
practical lessons. The study found out that using TLMs and learner-centred approach to
teach physics helped and encouraged students to participate more actively in lessons,
which resulted in an improved student’s performance in class. The study recommended
that physics tutors in science colleges of education in Ghana to use TLMs and learnercentred
approach in their teachings, which the study showed to be very effective in
improving the performance of students in physics lessons.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION, FACULTY OF
SCIENCE EDUCATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE
STUDIES, IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA, IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE
DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN SCIENCE EDUCATION OF THE
UNIVERSTY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA
NOVEMBER, 2016