Effects of Concept Mapping Strategy on Secondary School Physics Students Achievement in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the effectiveness of concept-mapping strategy on secondary school physics' students’ achievement in physics. The population of the study comprised of all Physics students in secondary schools in Akwanga Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A sample of 86 (47 Male students and 39 Female students) senior secondary school II (S.S. II) Physics students were selected using purposive sampling technique. A non-equivalent quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design was adopted for the study. The experimental group was assigned 44 students while the Control group was assigned 42 students. A 25-items Physics Achievement Test (PAT) was constructed based on the aspects of the topic "electromagnetism" in physics. The instrument was validated by 3 experts in physics education, measurement and evaluation. The instrument was pilot tested and the reliability index obtained was 0.76 using Cronbach Alpha method. The data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation and t-test analysis. The results of the study revealed that there was significant difference that exist between the pretest and post-test mean scores of the experimental group; there was significant difference between the students’ achievement taught with concept mapping and lecture method; there was no significant difference between male and female students’ achievement taught with concept mapping strategy. The study recommended that physics teachers should adopt concept-mapping strategy of teaching to enhance students' achievement; teachers should actively engage students in teaching and learning process to improve on their meaningful learning through the mapping of concepts.