Effect of experiential learning on students’ academic performance in electronics at Dodi Papase Senior High School

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of structured experiential learning on Form Two students’ academic performance in Electronics and their perceptions of this instructional approach at Dodi Papase Senior High School in the Oti Region of Ghana. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group pretest–posttest design was employed. Two intact General Arts classes were purposively selected following preliminary screening to minimise large disparities in prior achievement. However, formal pre-intervention testing revealed a statistically significant baseline difference between the groups, indicating non-equivalence consistent with quasi-experimental designs. One class served as the experimental group and received a four-week guided experiential learning intervention involving hands-on circuit construction, measurement of electrical quantities, collaborative problem-solving, and structured reflection. The control group received conventional lecture-based instruction.Pre- and post-intervention achievement tests and a structured perception questionnaire were administered. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and independent and paired samples t-tests. The findings indicated that although the experimental group began with a lower pretest mean score, it demonstrated substantially greater improvement over the intervention period and significantly outperformed the control group in the posttest. Students exposed to experiential learning reported high levels of perceived engagement, confidence, and support in understanding Electronics concepts.The study concludes that, within the context of Dodi Papase Senior High School, structured experiential learning was associated with enhanced academic performance in Electronics. The findings provide contextual support for Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, suggesting that guided cycles of concrete experience, reflection, abstraction, and application may facilitate conceptual restructuring in abstract science topics. It is recommended that, within similar instructional contexts, Integrated Science teachers consider incorporating structured experiential tasks into Electronics lessons, with appropriate institutional support to facilitate hands-on learning. Further research involving multiple schools and extended intervention periods is encouraged to strengthen generalisability.