Investigating the effect of differentiated instruction on the academic performance of senior high school students in selected concepts in integrated science

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of differentiated instruction (DI) on the academic performance of senior high school students in selected concepts of Integrated Science. The research was conducted at Paga Senior High School and Nabango Senior High Technical School, located in the Kasena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Fifteen (15) teachers were featured in the study. A total of 44 Form Two General Arts 2 students from both schools were purposively selected for the study. Purposive sampling was employed due to the nature of the sample size. Students were divided into experimental and control groups. The control group received instruction using traditional teaching methods in three separate sessions, whereas the experimental group was taught using differentiated instructional strategies. The study used a mixedmethods approach, employing tests, interviews, and questionnaires as research instruments. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The study addressed three research questions. Specifically, (1) the effect of DI on students’ performance in rusting of iron, force, and seed germination, (2) students’ attitudes towards DI, and (3) the challenges teachers face in implementing DI. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving pre- and post-tests administered to experimental (n = 29) and control (n = 15) groups. An independent samples t-test on pre-test scores revealed no statistically significant difference between the groups, t(42) = .14, p = .89, d = .04, confirming academic equivalence at baseline. However, post-test results showed a significant difference in favour of the experimental group, t(42) = 2.21, p = .03, d = .71, indicating that DI positively affected student performance. Quantitative survey indicated that most students have a positive attitude towards DI, with increased engagement, motivation, and interest in learning. Qualitative analysis highlighted benefits such as enhanced understanding through active learning and real-life connections. Teacher responses identified major challenges in implementing DI, including time constraints, large class sizes, lack of resources, and limited professional development. It was concluded that DI is an effective instructional strategy for improving academic outcomes in Integrated Science concepts. The study recommended that Integrated Science teachers should adopt DI in teaching and learning the three concepts to maximise students’ performance