Dpartment of Integrated Science Education

Examining the effect of Physics Education Technology PHET) simulation on senior high school students’ academic performance in electronics at Leklebi Senior High School

2026-05-25T09:54:55Z

Examining the effect of Physics Education Technology PHET) simulation on senior high school students’ academic performance in electronics at Leklebi Senior High School Aidoo, F.K. The study examined the effect of Physics Education Technology (PhET) simulations on the academic performance of Senior High School students in Electronics at Leklebi Senior High School in the Afadjato South District of the Volta Region of Ghana. Specifically, the study determined baseline differences in performance between experimental and control groups, assessed the effect of PhET simulations on students’ academic performance, compared simulation-based instruction with conventional teaching methods, and explored students’ perceptions of the use of PhET simulations in learning Electronics. A quantitative quasi-experimental design, using a non-equivalent control group pre-test–post-test approach, was adopted. Two intact Form Two classes were purposively selected, comprising an experimental group taught using PhET simulation-based instruction and a control group taught using traditional lecture-based methods. Data were collected using structured achievement tests administered before and after the intervention, as well as a Likert-scale questionnaire administered to the experimental group. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistical techniques, including independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests. The findings revealed no statistically significant difference in pre-test performance between the experimental and control groups, indicating baseline equivalence. However, results showed a statistically significant improvement in the academic performance of students exposed to PhET simulations. Comparative analysis further indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in post-test assessments. In addition, students expressed overwhelmingly positive perceptions of PhET simulations, reporting improved understanding of abstract Electronics concepts, increased engagement, enhanced confidence, and greater enjoyment of lessons. The study concludes that PhET simulations are an effective instructional strategy for improving students’ academic performance and learning experiences in Electronics. It is recommended that PhET simulations be integrated into Integrated Science instruction in Senior High Schools, supported by teacher professional development and improved access to ICT resources, particularly in resource-constrained school contexts. A thesis in the Department of Integrated Science Education, Faculty of Science Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Integrated Science Education) in the University of Education, Winneba JANUARY, 2026

Evaluating the effect of team game tournament approach on senior high school students’ academic performance in chemical bonding

2026-05-25T09:29:56Z

Evaluating the effect of team game tournament approach on senior high school students’ academic performance in chemical bonding Adzi, A. This study examined the effect of the Team Game Tournament (TGT) approach on Senior High School students’ academic performance and perceptions in learning chemical bonding. The study was conducted at Tsito Senior High Secondary Technical School and employed a quasi-experimental design with a quantitative research approach. Two intact classes were used: one as the Experimental Group taught using the TGT approach and the other as the Control Group taught using the conventional learning technique. The experimental group consisted of 32 students while the control group consisted of 35 students. The instructional intervention lasted four weeks and covered chemical bonding concepts, including ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding. Data were collected using a Chemistry Achievement Test administered as pretest and posttest, and a Students’ Perception Questionnaire administered to the experimental group only. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent and paired samples t-tests, and Cohen’s d effect size. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in posttest academic performance between students taught using the TGT approach and those taught using the conventional method, with the Experimental Group achieving significantly higher mean scores (p < .001). A large effect size indicated a strong practical impact of the TGT approach. Gender analysis within the Experimental Group showed no statistically significant difference in performance between male and female students (p > .05). Findings from the perception questionnaire indicated that students generally held positive perceptions of the TGT approach in terms of engagement, collaboration, understanding, confidence, enjoyment, and fairness. The study concluded that the Team Game Tournament approach is an effective instructional strategy for improving students’ academic performance in chemical bonding and fostering positive learning experiences. The findings support the integration of cooperative game-based learning strategies in Senior High School chemistry instruction. A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Integrated Science Education) Department of Integrated Science Education Faculty of Science Education DECEMBER, 2025

Effects of learning activity package on students’ academic performances in digestive and circulatory systems

2026-05-20T12:36:28Z

Effects of learning activity package on students’ academic performances in digestive and circulatory systems Dodor, M.M. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a Learning Activity Package (LAP) on students' academic performance in digestive and circulatory systems. The quasiexperimental design involved a pre-test and post-test non-equivalent group design, with 88 students in total divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group consisted of 45 Year 2 General Arts students in Anlo senior high school and the control group, 43 Year 2 General Arts students from Zion College senior high school. These two schools were purposively sampled. The experimental group was taught using the LAP while the control group received conventional method. Achievement Test (AT) was used to collect data which consisted of twenty multiple-choice questions with four possible answers, labelled A to D, short answers items, practical test and essay type test were generated from the various subunits which was analysed using inferential and descriptive statistics. Results showed that the experimental group had mean score 33.07 and the control group, 25.05 with significant differences (p = 0.001) which is less than 0.05 significant value, this indicated that there was statistically significant difference between mean score of student taught digestive and circulatory system using LAP and those taught using conventional method. Comparing performance of male and female, females performed better on average, of mean score 34.83 and male 33.77 with p-value (0.073) which is greater than 0.05 level of significant, therefore there was no statistically significant difference between mean scores of males and females student taught digestive and circulatory system using LAP , Under the experimental group, mean scores 42.62, 32.16 and 28.93 for high, average and low ability group respectively, while the control group recorded mean scores of 32.09, 24.27 and 19.94 for high, average and low ability group respectively, a significant value (p = 0.001) showed that LAP was particularly effective for low-achieving students, as they showed notable gains. Furthermore, the experimental group had significantly higher mean scores compared to the control group, with a practically significant difference in scores. Overall, the findings suggest that the use of LAP as a teaching method improve students' academic performances in digestive and circulatory systems. Based on these findings, it is recommended that instructors should consider integrating the learning activity package (LAP) in their teaching approach. Further, additional resources and support should be provided to low-ability students to ensure their success. A thesis submitted to the school of graduate studies in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Integrated Science Education) DEPARTMENT OF INTEGRATED SCIENCE EDUCATION FACULTY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA AUGUST, 2025

Effect of problem based learning on students’ acquisition of science process skills and academic performance in electrical energy and electronics in integrated science

2026-05-20T11:40:40Z

Effect of problem based learning on students’ acquisition of science process skills and academic performance in electrical energy and electronics in integrated science Torgbedzu, G. This study investigated the effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on students’ Science Process Skills (SPS) and academic performance in Electrical Energy and Electronics in Integrated Science at the senior high school level in the South Dayi District. The study employed quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design involving experimental and control groups. Two intact second-year classes of ninety-five (95) students from Peki Senior High School and Peki Senior High Technical School were purposively sampled. The experimental group was taught using PBL while the control group was taught using the traditional lecture method. The instruments used for data collection were Students’ Science Achievement Test (SSAT), Science Process Skills Achievement Test (SPSAT), questionnaire, interview guide, and an observation checklist. Statistical Package Foe Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. The findings showed that PBL significantly improved students’ acquisition of SPS, with steady gains recorded in observation, measurement, inferring, predicting, and classifying. Academic performance also improved, with the experimental group outperforming the control group (t = 6.38, p = 0.00). Gender analysis revealed no significant differences (p = 0.43), indicating that PBL benefits both male and female students equally. Students’ perceptions of PBL were overwhelmingly positive, noting improvements in understanding, motivation, research skills, and teamwork. The study concludes that PBL enhances academic performance, fosters SPS development, and promotes learner engagement, making it a relevant and inclusive pedagogy for electrical energy and electronics Integrated Science. It is recommended that PBL should be employed in teaching Electrical Energy and Electronics in Integrated Science. A Thesis in the Department of Integrated Science Education, Faculty of Science Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Integrated Science Education) in the University of Education, Winneba NOVEMBER, 2025