Teaching and Learning Physics in Senior High Schools in Ghana: The Challenges and the Way Forward (original) (raw)
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Physics is seen as a difficult subject with very low students' enrollment in tertiary institutions across the country; hence the use teachers with no Physics background to teach the subject in our senior secondary schools thus complicating issues. A study on the Problems and Prospects of Teaching and Learning of Physics was carried out in Gombe metropolis of Gombe State. A well structured questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. The results indicates that 4.7 % of the respondents agreed that one physics lesson is being taught per week, 16 % twice per week and 97.3 % are of the view that more than two physics lessons were delivered per week. On student's performance in physics as a subject 48 % of the respondents are of the view that it is on the average, 24 % below average and 28 % above average. Teacher's perception of students attendance in physics classes indicate that 60 % of the agree that students are regular in class attendance, while 40 % of respondents are of the view that students are not regular in attending physics classes. The results also showed that 70 % of teachers teaching physics in the senior secondary school levels do not have the requisite qualifications, hence the difficulty in the delivery of the content. It is hereby recommended that graduates physics with teaching qualifications be employed to teach at these levels, moreover, frequent practical lessons be organized for students so as to update their knowledge and keep them abreast of the theoretical aspect of physics.
Physics Practical Lessons in Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana
This study sought to analyse the issues relating to physics practical lessons in senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Primary data for the study were obtained through a survey. In all, 432 SHS physics students provided the required information that was analysed to make the conclusions in this study. The main research instrument used was a well-structured student questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the background and motivation of students who studied physics; school and teacher factors faced by the students and the problems that militated against the success of physics practical lessons in the schools. A binary logistic regression was used to analyse the determinants of achievement in physics practical lessons. Results showed that approximately 69 % of the students were males and more than 50 % of both the male and female guardians of all the students had tertiary education. Also, 79.2 % of students reported that there were adequate periods for physics lessons weekly; 97.7 % reported that they have libraries, 93.1 % had science laboratories while 93.5 % had water reservoirs in their schools. About 72.5 % of the students reported that they used formulas and laws of physics to solve problems in almost every lesson. A high proportion of students (80.6 %) had understanding of practical lessons in mechanics. This was followed by light (75.4 %), heat (72.4 %) and sound (57.5 %). Achievement in sound, heat, mechanics and light practical activities among the students were found not to be significantly different but rather they were all positively correlated at 0.01 level of significance. The study concluded that more students had understanding of practical lessons in mechanics and are more proficient in handling instruments for mechanics practical activities than lessons in light, heat and sound. Male physics students were less likely to have difficulty in handling instruments for physics practical activities than their female counterparts.
An Investigation into Physics Teaching in Senior High Schools
World Journal of Education, 2014
This study sought to examine the activities that go on in physics classrooms in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Specifically, the study sought to investigate the pattern of interaction and instructional methods used for teaching physics and level of coverage of physics syllabus. The survey design was employed for the study in which questionnaire was used for data collection. Participants for the study were physics teachers and final year physics students. Findings from the study suggest that classroom interaction seemed to be mostly teacher-centered and tended not to support inquiry-based teaching and learning which is noted for promoting conceptual change and enhance performance. It is recommended among other things that physics teachers should be exposed to efficient pedagogies of teaching and presenting information to learners. The traditional way of teaching where teacher decides on what goes on in the classroom has a limited space in the 21 st century science classrooms, particularly physics.
Classroom Practices of Senior High School Physics Teachers in the Hohoe Municipality
International journal of research and innovation in social science, 2022
The purpose of the study was to investigate the activities and practices of physics teachers in terms of their pedagogical skills and assessment practices. The study was limited to physics teachers and students in eight (8) senior high schools in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region, Ghana. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed in carrying out the study. A total sample of 200 senior high school physics students and 2 physics teacher were involved in data collection. A questionnaire consisting mainly of closed ended items and observation schedule were used in collecting data from respondents. Data collected was analysed using simple frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. It was found that, most of the physics teachers do not often respond appropriately to students' wrong answers and misconceptions. Most physics students also raised concerns about their physics teachers not often linking what they teach to their daily life occurrences. However, evidence from observation indicates that physics teachers possess and exhibited sufficient knowledge on diverse pedagogical skills. Physics teachers often use interactive formative assessments such as oral question and answer technique. Based on the findings, it was recommended that, physics teachers should carefully pay attention to and often address their students' wrong answers and misconceptions, make learning of physics interesting by making students appreciate the importance of what they teach.
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
Despite the relevance of physics to many science and technological based careers, students’ attainment in the subject has been of concern in many countries including Nigeria. The study examined physics attainment among secondary school pupils and found that physics attainment is low in Nigeria and that teacher quality and resource availability and utilization are some factors that affect student attainment. To enhance students’ physics attainment, the study recommended that the content and curriculum of ITE programs be enhanced for the training and development of agency amongst teachers and the need for teachers to update their subject knowledge through regular participation in continuing professional development activities.
This paper examines the teaching strategies commonly employed by physics teachers in the classroom. Particularly, the study utilized mixed methods involving questionnaires, tests, classroom observations and structured interviews to explore the common teaching strategies used by teachers and the effects of these strategies both on the enrollment and attainment of students in physics. Teachers and students in eight senior secondary schools were purposively selected for the study. Findings from the study show that teachers and students were at variance as to the most commonly used teaching strategy by teachers in the teaching and learning of physics and that whereas teachers reported the use of demonstration, more students reported that elements of demonstration were 'never' used by teachers than those who reported otherwise. The study also shows that the teaching strategy adopted by physics teachers directly influences the enrolment and attainment of students in the subject. The study recommends that government and relevant stakeholders should ensure the adequate provision of well-equipped laboratories and that science teacher training institutions promote trainee-teachers skill and knowledge in improvisation and resourcing of science materials for the effective teaching and learning of physics in secondary schools.
2016
this was aimed at assessing the resources for teaching and learning physics in secondary schools in Minna, Niger State. It determine the availability, adequacy, functionality, novelty, and accessibility of teaching and learning resources. The research adopted a survey design in carrying out the research and checklist is administered as an instrument. the target population of the study comprises fifteen physics teachers in Bosso local government of Niger state. one teacher is selected in each secondary school, data was collected personally from respondents. the data collected was represented using simple bar chart, frequency of respondents and presented in simple percentage. the result shows that the 56 basic teaching and learning resources are available, adequate, functional, novel, and accessible with percentage yes of 85, 72, 78, 72, and 77 respectively.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation
This study is a comprehensive research on the Impact of Physics Practical’s on the Teaching and Learning Methodology of Senior Secondary Schools Selected in Sierra Leone. Physics subject is an elective subject where students in the science stream pursue the subject during their upper secondary school. This is despite the fundamental role Physics as a science subject plays in the contribution of innovations and developments teachers tend to avoid the practical work in the laboratory which they consider waste of time and they do not understand the importance of laboratory experiments. Specifically, the study was set to achieve six objectives namely; To find out the Demographic Characteristic of respondents, To identify the knowledge of teachers and students on physics practical, To examine the attitudes of student and teachers towards physics Practicals, To examine the engagement of teachers and students in physics Practicals, To determine the effectiveness of teaching physics and To ...