Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine the effect of hands-on activities on senior high
school students’ performance in acids, bases and salts. The study was conducted at
Kaneshie Senior High Technical School, Accra. It employed an action research design
with the collection of quantitative data. A purposive sampling technique was then used
to select an intact class of 50 SHS 2 students. Tests were used to gather data on students’
difficulties in acids, bases and salts, the effect of hands-on activities on students’
performance in acids, bases and salts as well as the effect of hands-on activities on
students’ science process skills. A questionnaire was used to gather data on the
perceptions of students on the use of hands-on activities in teaching science concepts.
Data were analysed using content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics. The
findings of the study revealed significant conceptual difficulties of students in acids,
bases and salts. It also showed an improvement in students’ performance after the
implementation of the intervention. As there was a significant improvement in students’
science process skills. It was also discovered that students had positive perceptions of
hands-on activities in learning acids, bases and salts. Based on the findings, it was
recommended that science teachers in Kaneshie Senior High Technical School should
use hands-on activities to identify students’ difficulties and improve students’
performance in acids, bases and salts. It was also recommended that school authorities
in Kaneshie Senior High Technical School should make hands-on activities readily
available to enhance students’ science process skills and positive perceptions of
students.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of 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
(Science Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
NOVEMBER, 2024
