Gender Differences in Constructivist Approach to High School Learners’ Comprehension of Electrochemistry Concepts
Year: 2016
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: This study reports onresearch findings on the effect of collaboration combined with textmanipulation on male and female learners’ comprehension of electrochemistryconcepts in the Ximhungwe circuit of the Bohlabela district in the Mpumalangaprovince of South Africa. The theoretical frame work of this study is rooted inPosner et al’s Accommodation of a Scientific Conception: Toward a Theory ofConceptual Change. This theory strongly proves that learning is a socialprocess and communication facilitates learning. An intact sample of 47 12thgrade physical sciences learners from two public schools in the circuitparticipated 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 Departmentof Education. Learners were given electrochemistry concept test (ECT) andChemistry Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CCEQ) as pretest and post-test.After the treatment using a self-designed conceptual change teaching strategyof collaboration combined with conceptual change texts, ANCOVA conducted onposttest scores of the learners showed that there was no significant mean differencebetween male and female learners in their comprehension of electrochemistryconcepts. Similarly, there was no significant interaction effect between genderand treatment. However, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation revealed that therewas positive relationship between achievement and learners’ perception of theirchemistry classroom environment. It was concluded that collaboration combinedwith text manipulation was equally effective for both males and females.
Source: DergiPark (Istanbul University)
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: University of South Africa
OpenAlex ID: W2782972479