GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 3, March 2020, Online: ISSN 2320-9186
www.globalscientificjournal.com
Graphic Organizers and Students’ Achievement in Physics and Chemistry: Integrating
Technology in Science Classroom
Mary Felicia Opara
1
and AyanariIlaye Lami
2
Department of Science Education, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra
State, Nigeria
Email; fc.opara@coou.edu.ng . Email
2 :
ilayelamirachael@gmail.com
Abstract
This study which investigated the effect of graphic organizers on students’ achievement in
physics and chemistrywas conducted in three Education Zones in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. 354 secondary school
students participated in the study.The studyadopted a non-equivalent pretest-posttest control
group design. Physics and Chemistry Achievement Test (PCAT)instrument used for the study
was validated and trial-tested using Kuder-Richardson K-R
20
and the reliability was
established at0.80. Descriptive statistics was used to answer the research questions and
analysis of covariance ANCOVA was used to test the research hypotheses. Results revealed
that the pretest mean achievement scores of experimental and control groups were 17.14 and
14.83 respectively, while the posttest mean achievement scores for experimental and control
groups were40.4423.83respectively, with a mean gain of 23.3 for experimental group and
9.06 for the control group; the pretest mean achievement scores of both male and female
students were 17.22 and 17.03 while the posttest mean scores were 40.1 and 40.9
respectively;the pretest mean achievement scores of urban and rural students were 17.72 and
15.25 respectively, whilethe posttest mean achievement scores for urban and rural students
were 40.78 and 39.32 respectively.ANCOVA results showed thatstudents taught using
graphic organizers had significantly higher achievement scores in selected topics from
physics and chemistry than the students taught using conventional method.There was no
significant difference in achievement of male and female students taught selected topics in
physics and chemistry using graphic organizers. No significant difference was found between
the mean achievement scores of urban and rural students taught selected topics in Physics and
Chemistry using graphic organizers. Based on the findings of the study a few
recommendations were highlighted.
KEY WORDS: Graphic Organizers, Physics and Chemistry, Achievement, Technology
Introduction
Science education is an integrated field of study which considers both the subject
matter of science disciplines such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agriculture, etc as well as
the process involved in the learning and teaching of science. It includes all education
GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 3, March 2020
ISSN 2320-9186 247
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