GENDER DIFFERENCES IN CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH TO HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS’ COMPREHENSION OF ELECTROCHEMISTRY CONCEPTS

Year 2016, Volume: 4 , 210 - 219, 01.09.2016

Kwaku Darko Amponsah Chukunoye Enunuwe Ochonogor

Abstract

This study reports on
research findings on the effect of collaboration combined with text
manipulation on male and female learners’ comprehension of electrochemistry
concepts in the Ximhungwe circuit of the Bohlabela district in the Mpumalanga
province of South Africa. The theoretical frame work of this study is rooted in
Posner et al’s Accommodation of a Scientific Conception: Toward a Theory of
Conceptual Change. This theory strongly proves that learning is a social
process and communication facilitates learning. An intact sample of 47 12th
grade physical sciences learners from two public schools in the circuit
participated in the study. One of the schools was a high achieving school (HAS)
and the other a low achieving school (LAS) as was classified by the Department
of Education. Learners were given electrochemistry concept test (ECT) and
Chemistry Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CCEQ) as pretest and post-test.
After the treatment using a self-designed conceptual change teaching strategy
of collaboration combined with conceptual change texts, ANCOVA conducted on
posttest scores of the learners showed that there was no significant mean difference
between male and female learners in their comprehension of electrochemistry
concepts. Similarly, there was no significant interaction effect between gender
and treatment. However, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation revealed that there
was positive relationship between achievement and learners’ perception of their
chemistry classroom environment. It was concluded that collaboration combined
with text manipulation was equally effective for both males and females.

Keywords

Collaboration, conceptual change texts, electrochemistry, gender, social constructivism

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