Impact of Practical Education Network on Students in Selected Ghanaian Junior High School Science Classrooms

Autor/inn/en	Babb, Jacob J.; Stockero, Shari L.
Titel	Impact of Practical Education Network on Students in Selected Ghanaian Junior High School Science Classrooms
Quelle	In: African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 24 (2020) 2, S.216-228 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Babb, Jacob J.) ORCID (Stockero, Shari L.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1029-8457
DOI	10.1080/18117295.2020.1814662
Schlagwörter	Junior High School Students; Early Adolescents; Hands on Science; Active Learning; Inquiry; Secondary School Science; Science Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Critical Thinking; Student Attitudes; Standardized Tests; Scores; Foreign Countries; Organizations (Groups); Inservice Teacher Education; Ghana + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Junior High Schools; Student; Students; Sekundarstufe I; Schüler; Schülerin; Aktives Lernen; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Unterrichtserfolg; Kritisches Denken; Schülerverhalten; Standadised tests; Standardisierter Test; Ausland; Lehrerfortbildung
Abstract	Within the science education community, it is widely accepted that quality science instruction is focused on knowledge construction and inquiry. The Ghanaian education system has many hallmark issues that inhibit such instruction, however, including a pervasive teacher-centred pedagogy, lack of laboratory materials, and minimal support systems for teachers. The Practical Education Network (PEN) is an organisation that has been working to address these problems by training science teachers to utilise locally available, affordable materials to teach topics in the national science curriculum in a hands-on manner. To study the impact that the use of the PEN approach to hands-on learning has on students' critical thinking skills, attitudes towards school science and standardised test scores, over 300 students in six Junior High Schools in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana participated in a year-long, quasi-experimental study. The data from comparison and experimental groups consisted of scores on a national standardised test, a pre/post-test simulating the national examination, and a pre/post student survey. The data were analysed for any differences between the two student groups over time. The findings indicated that the PEN approach had a beneficial impact on students' attitudes towards school science and standardised test scores. There was inconclusive evidence of the impact of the PEN approach on critical thinking skills. The findings suggest that the PEN approach may positively impact science instruction. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01