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Teaching and Learning Science as a Tool for Human Sustenance: The Non-Science Community’s Expectations for School Science
By Kenneth Adu-Gyamfi
The world, through the UN and its agencies, is looking for ways to sustain the environment that we live in via the SDGs. The importance of school science in achieving the SDGs cannot be overstressed. The literature abounds on the need for school science to relate to the interests and expectations of students and the importance of teachers and scientists of school science in finding solutions to sustaining our world. However, little is known about the interests and expectations of other members of our society. Consequently, we studied the expectations of members of the non-science community whose children are learning science in schools and colleges. Using a phenomenological approach, we employed interview schedules to study 15 participants, comprising 5 women and 10 men, on what they thought about science and scientists and their expectations regarding learning science in school in the 21st century, saddled with global pandemics, global warming, flooding, and other natural disasters. The thinking and expectations of the participants were analysed using a thematic analysis with constant comparison procedures to arrive at five views and expectations of school science by the non-science community. Although the participants were grateful to the science community for rising to the challenge of COVID-19, they expected school science teachers to use innovative approaches to prepare their students for future challenges, as the world lost many human lives to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings will inform science curriculum planners about the content and pedagogies to recommend for schools and colleges. © 2024 by the authors.
Factors contributing to teachers’ conceptual difficulties in teaching high school organic chemistry
By Kenneth Adu-Gyamfi
Some research works have showed that Ghanaian teachers, teaching chemistry in the senior high school, have conceptual difficulties in organic chemistry. This research explored the factors contributing to teacher’s conceptual difficulties on teaching organic chemistry to high school students. Through explanatory sequential mixed methods design quantitative data were collected using questionnaire and qualitative data, using semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire was responded to by 71 teachers teaching chemistry in 31 schools, and six teachers, purposively selected, interacted with researchers through interviews to triangulate any quantitative findings. From the quantitative data, four factors, tertiary exposure, professional collaboration, professional competence, and pre-tertiary exposure emerged. These factors were then used as themes to guide the analysis and presentation of results from the qualitative data. To inform further research, it is recommended that chemistry educators and researchers should examine the four factors that predict most of the teacher conceptual difficulties on organic chemistry. © 2023 by authors; licensee EJSME by Bastas.
Participatory teaching and learning approach: A framework for teaching redox reactions at high school level
By Kenneth Adu-Gyamfi
This study aimed at designing a framework to help students develop a conceptual understanding of redox reactions, which draws on constructivist learning theory. This framework was in the form of participatory teaching and learning approach comprising Insight, Interaction, Task, and Forum. The framework was designed and developed based on the literature and used in a teaching trial. At the prototype phase of the design-based approach, a mixed methods design was employed in data collection. Fifteen students from a second-year senior high school class responded to the achievement test and interacted with the researchers. A stratified sampling procedure was used to select the students. In lessons on redox reactions, the framework helped the teacher to identify students? alternative conceptions and confronted them through cognitive engagements leading to conceptual understanding in redox reactions. Percentages, related samples t-test, and themes were used to analyse data. The results showed that there was an improvement in students? conceptual understanding of redox reactions. It is, therefore, recommended that chemistry educators and researchers should use the framework in large scale research to assure the scientific community the efficacy of it in developing conceptual change in students. © 2020 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved.
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