Comparative Effects Of 5E, Differentiation, And Conventional Teaching Methods On Physics Students’ Academic Performance In Thermal Physics

Abstract

In this study, the comparative effect of 5E Instructional Model, Differentiated Instruction and conventional teaching method on Senior High School (SHS) Physics students’ academic performances in Thermal Physics was investigated. Employing a quasi experimental pretest/posttest non-equivalent control group design, 291 SHS 2 Physics students were employed from six intact classes from 3 randomly selected Senior High Schools in the Mampong Municipality and Sekyere South District. The instrument used for data collection was Thermal Physics Concepts Test (TPCT). The hypotheses were tested using independent sample t-tests, one-way ANCOVA and two-way ANCOVA at α=0.05. The results indicated that, SHS students taught using 5E Instructional Model performed better (M=16.59, SD=5.168) than those taught using conventional teaching method (M=13.34, SD=5.010; t(191)=4.437, p=0.000<0.05). Similarly, SHS students taught using Differentiated Instruction performed better (M=19.12, SD=5.766) compared to the conventional teaching method (M= 13.34, SD=5.010; t(188)=7.362, p=0.000<0.05), and also compared to the 5E Instructional Model (F(1,196)=34.833, p=0.000), after introducing the interventions. However, there was no significant difference in academic performance between male and female SHS Physics students taught using Differentiated Instruction (mean difference=0.233, p=0.765) and 5E Instructional Model (mean difference=0.75, p=0.532), but a significant difference in academic performance between male and female SHS Physics students taught using conventional teaching method (mean difference=8.284, p=0.000). It was therefore recommended, amongst others that SHS Physics teachers should consider Differentiating their students in order to tailor Physics lessons to all students, which will help them perform better in Thermal Physics.