RELATIVE EFFECT OF DRAMA, PRACTICAL WORK ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN PHYSICS LEARNING

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ABSTRACT

This study looked at the impact of the drama method, practical work, and traditional methods on students’ academic achievement and attitude in Physics. The issue of poor secondary school student performance in physics has been a major source of concern for physics educators and researchers. A variety of related materials, both empirical and theoretical in nature, were reviewed.

The study was conducted in the Isolo District of Lagos State, with six schools chosen at random. To select two schools for each experimental and control groups, a simple random sampling technique was used. Six secondary schools were sampled, with a total of 122 students, 66 of whom were male and 56 of whom were female.

Four research questions were posed, and seven hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 significance level. Data were collected using a student questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of (r = 0.83) and a physics achievement test (PAT) with a reliability coefficient of (r = 0.83). (0.7)

The information gathered was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The estimated mean was also calculated. The results revealed that the drama method outperformed students’ physics achievement the most. Gender and socioeconomic background have no significant main effect on students’ Physics achievement.

There is also an interaction effect of treatment, gender, and socioeconomic background on student achievement in Physics.

Based on the findings, it is recommended that drama be used to teach physics at the Senior Secondary School level, as it outperformed other instructional strategies. Furthermore, the drama method was recommended for teaching physics in single sex girls’ schools, while practical work should be used in single sex boys’ schools.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND

Physics is one of the science subjects required for technological advancement (Adegoke,2009; Babajide 2010;2012;2013;2014). Nigeria, as a developing country, requires a great deal of technological know-how to support its industries.

‘No nation can take off technologically without Physics as its bedrock,’ says Onwuagba (1986). The IUPAP(1999) statement also stated that physics is an important science subject that is an exciting intellectual adventure that inspires young people and expands the frontier of knowledge about nature.

Physics provides the fundamental knowledge required for future technological advances that will continue to power the world’s economic engines. It helps to build the technological infrastructure and provides the trained personnel required to capitalize on scientific advances and discoveries.

Physics is an important subject in the education of chemists, engineers, computer scientists, and other practitioners of physical and biomedical sciences (Oludipe,2003; Babajide,2010). Physics broadens and deepens our understanding of other disciplines such as earth, agricultural, chemical, biological, and environmental sciences, as well as astrophysics and cosmology—all of which are vital to all peoples around the world.

Physics improves man’s quality of life by providing the fundamental understanding required for the development of new medical instrumentation and techniques such as computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, ultrasonic imaging, and laser surgery.

Indeed, knowledge of Physics has resulted in numerous inventions, including the discovery and production of hydroelectric power, gas turbine and thermonuclear power plants, telephones, refrigerators, heaters, and cookers (Babajide, 2010). Other advantages of knowing Physics include the ability to build modern vehicles, rockets, nuclear bombs, missiles, diodes, computers, and other electronic systems (Okoronka, 2004).

Nigeria’s national education policy [1981] placed a strong emphasis on science education, which includes physics education. One of the overarching goals of the National Policy on Education (FME, 2004) is to prepare students to live effectively in the modern era of science and technology. A child’s attitude toward any subject will influence and determine the child’s choice and achievement in that subject, as well as his or her career choice (Wong & Young 1997).

Experts have identified physics as one of the core science subjects that is difficult or abstract in nature (NERDC, 1994; Okoronka, 2004). According to Dieck (1997), students dislike science subjects and have a strong dislike for physics in particular.

This can be attributed to poor performance in Physics. The low achievement of students in science, particularly physics, has remained a major source of concern for all, particularly those in the main stream of science education (Okebukola, 1984; Ariyo, 2006). Much emphasis in science education has been placed on developing teaching strategies that have the potential to improve students’ understanding of science concepts and skill acquisition (Usman, 2000).

Many studies have been conducted to determine how to improve students’ poor performance in Physics through the investigation of various teaching methods. Okoronka (2004) examined the comparative effects of analog, problem solving, and concept mapping model-based instructional strategies on students’ achievement in Physics in his study.

The study’s findings confirm that Model Based Instructional strategies are the most effective for teaching abstract and difficult concepts in Physics. Wambugu and Chageiywo (2008) discovered that students who were taught using the Mastery Learning Approach (MLA) achieved statistically significantly higher scores in the Physics achievement test than those who were taught using the conventional method in their study on the effects of MLA on secondary school students.

Despite all of the researchers’ findings and implementations, the problem of poor physics performance among students has not been resolved. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the relative effects of drama and practical work on students’ achievement and attitude in Physics subjects.

The broad term ‘drama’ refers to a wide range of techniques that incorporate physical movement, vocal action, and mental concentration, all of which are lacking in quantity and combination in traditional classrooms. Webb (1980) discovered that engaging in role play allows students to gain a deeper understanding of scientific ideas. Their personal interest is increased as their understanding of Physics grows (Alexander, 1997; Deci, 1992).

In his book, Ian Abrahams (2012) describes how he witnessed a role play delivered by an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) in which students took on the roles of various components in an electrical circuit. The recollections were said to be vivid and detailed, and to have left a lasting impression on them.

There is a growing consensus among childhood educators that young children learn best through two experiences: dramatic play and interaction with their environment (Brown and Pleydell, 1999). According to Bolton (1998), classroom drama strives to build on existing teaching methodologies, weaving them together in new ways that inspire and hold the interest of students at any grade level while keeping the focus on the curriculum.

Indeed, drama is already used to teach some humanities subjects such as English and History, and it has been recommended as an effective teaching strategy for science classes (Kentish, 1995; Duveen and Solomon, 1994; Gradener,1991).

Furthermore, Kentish (1995) suggests that an approach that requires students to become personally engaged in their study is more likely to be perceived as meaningful to them than one that requires them to remain ‘passive’ observers or recipients of someone else’s scientific knowledge. Students are far more likely to become personally interested in the material being taught if they are allowed to experience the actual personal involvement that the use of drama provides.

Furthermore, both Bailey (1993) and Gardener (1991) have argued that drama can help some students develop their conceptual understanding of highly abstract scientific ideas by directly connecting them to ideas with which they are already familiar in their everyday personal experiences.

In this regard, Stencel and Barkoff (1993) argue that drama can be a particularly effective tool for bridging the conceptual gap between the world of familiar, everyday experience and the world of the unfamiliar, such as when students are taught about scientific processes and structures that occur at the atomic and/or molecular level and with which they have no prior personal experience.

Similarly, Butler (1989) asserted that the use of drama creates a window of opportunity for highly collaborative learning. Indeed, it not only allows for collaborative learning, possibly with the benefit of peer teaching (Duveen and Solomon, 1994), but it is also sufficiently flexible to allow students who are intimidated by the prospect of taking on active performing roles to engage in preparatory work.

Preparatory work can include gathering evidence, making props, and writing scripts, all of which provide valuable learning opportunities. Drama can be used to help learners “take on the role of another” in order to shed an egocentric perspective, and the “other” can be either an animate or inanimate object. Met Calfe, R.J.A., and S.B. Abbott, 1984.

Drama, according to Smilansky (1968), is used to make ideas, theories, and processes, at varying degrees of complexity and abstraction, more understandable to learners through a more active involvement in their learning in which students are given opportunities to try out their ideas, solve problems, and develop further understanding and knowledge.

Millar, Le Maréchal, and Tiberghien proposed the concept of practical work used in this study (1999). This concept includes both student laboratory activities and teacher demonstrations. Any teaching and learning activity that involves students observing or manipulating real objects and materials is considered practical work.

This understanding is also consistent with the Lao educational system’s tradition of interpreting the meaning of practical work, which includes students handling equipment and materials on their own or watching the teacher handle equipment and materials.

The Science Community Representing Education (SCORE) developed A Framework for Practical Science in Schools (SCORE, 2009a), which defines practical science work as “a “hands-on” learning experience that prompts thinking about the world in which people live.”

Practical work involves the learner observing or manipulating real or virtual objects and materials (Millar, 2004). Appropriate practical work improves students’ science experience, understanding, skills, and enjoyment. It teaches students how to think and act scientifically.

Thus, the scientific method is emphasized. Practical work fosters scientific attitudes, fosters problem-solving abilities, and enhances conceptual understanding (Tamir, 1991; Babajide, 2012). Practical experience in Physics aids in the development of familiarity with apparatus, instruments, and equipment.

The students learn to manipulate objects. Expertise in reading all types of scales is developed. The observations and results obtained are used to better understand Physics concepts. Science process skills, which are required in the workplace, are systematically developed (Manjit,S.S., Ramesh,S., and Selvantha,N. 2003).

It generates firsthand knowledge. According to Millar (1998), practical work should be viewed as a mechanism through which materials and equipment are carefully and critically brought together to persuade the Physics learner about the veracity and validity of the scientific world view.

It is possible to gain tacit knowledge of scientific phenomena (Collins, 2001). When done correctly, practical work can stimulate and engage students’ learning at multiple levels, challenging them mentally and physically in ways that other science experiences cannot (SCORE, 2009b).

Practical activities that are truly effective allow students to bridge the gap between what they can see and touch (hands-on) and scientific ideas that account for their observations (brains-on). Making these connections is difficult, so practical activities that make these connections explicit are more likely to succeed (Millar, 2004).

According to Abrahams and Miller (2008), teachers should devote a greater proportion of their lesson time to assisting students in using ideas associated with the phenomena they have created, rather than viewing the successful production of the phenomenon as an end in itself.

Practical work, according to Justin Dillon (2008), is a learning experience in which students interact with materials or secondary sources of data to observe and comprehend the natural world. In his study on the effect of the availability and use of science laboratories on academic achievement of students in Punjab (Pakistan), Muhammad

Arshad Dahar (2011) stated that science laboratories can have a huge impact on academic achievement of students if the standard quantity and quality of science laboratory items are properly allocated, equalized per student, and efficiently used. According to White and Gunstone (1992), students must manipulate ideas as well as materials in the laboratory, and there is evidence that practical work can increase students’ sense of ownership of their learning and motivation.

According to a review of the literature, many science educators have recognized that students’ perspectives on science courses differ from scientific ones. According to Craker (2006), prior knowledge has a significant impact on students’ knowledge of scientific concepts.

According to research, students bring their worldly experiences into the classroom ( Lawson, 1998; McDermott and Redish, 1999). Students’ expectations in science in pre-college classrooms have been studied (Careey et al, 1989; Songer and Linn, 1991), and it has been discovered that student attitudes toward their classroom activities, as well as their beliefs about the nature of science and knowledge, influence their learning.

Individuals’ attitudes, whether positive or negative, have a direct impact on the learning process and their future lives ( Seferoglu, 2004; sunbul, Afyon, Yagniz, & Aslan, 2004). According to Hendrickson, attitudes are the best predictor of student success estimates (Hendrickson, 1997).

Experiences both inside and outside of the classroom have an impact on attitude changes (Hazari, 2007). People constantly form new attitudes and modify old ones when exposed to new information and new experiences, despite the fact that attitudes change gradually (Adesina & Akinbobola, 2005)

This study also looked into the moderating effects of the students’ gender and social background to see how they interacted with the independent variables and how this affected their learning outcomes in Physics. Gender has also remained a source of concern for educators and researchers.

In Physics, the findings on gender and learning outcomes are inconclusive. Scantlebury (2006) reports that, with the exception of Physics, there are equal numbers of girls and boys enrolled in high school science classes. Girls prefer to study subjects that they believe are relevant to their lives. In their studies, Hyde and Mckinley (1997) and Kolawole (2007) discovered that male students outperformed female students in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skill achievements in Physics.

Gender and achievement in science education have a strong correlation. According to Baumert and Lehnmann’s (1997) research reports, boys have a more positive attitude and higher achievement in Physics than girls. As a result, Longe and Adedeji (2003) believe that science and technology are male-dominated fields, and that females tend to avoid scientific and technological fields.

As a result, boys appear to have a natural positive attitude toward technical and scientific subjects, whereas girls appear to have a negative attitude. This negative attitude appears to be the result of accepting the myth that boys are better at science than girls.

Babajide (2010) also admitted that science subjects such as physics and physics are given a masculine perspective by educators. Many researchers have reported that there are no longer discernible differences in students’ cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skill achievements based on gender.

(Arigbabu and Mji 2004, Bilesanmi and Awoderu 2006, David and Stanley 2000) In accordance with this, Agommuoh and Nzewi (2003) and Babajide (2010) discovered that gender has no significant influence on physics achievement.

However, some researchers discovered significant differences in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skill achievement of students in Physics based on gender [Aguele & Uhumniah (2008); Croxford (2002)]. Gender has a significant influence on science achievement, according to Ogunleye (2002), Ogunneye (2003), Ezirim (2006), and Okwo and Otubar (2007).

Another variable whose influence on achievement should be investigated is socioeconomic factors. According to the literature, preferences differ depending on one’s social background. The students’ social backgrounds include occupation, income, parental educational attainment, exposure, and parental relationship with each other.

Adeyemo (2010) reported in his study that the family environment provides children with the opportunity to succeed and be happy. He then determined that one of the issues affecting students’ academic performance is the effect of broken homes.

Children from broken homes are generally unhappy, and this unhappiness can affect their academic performance. As a result, academic achievement is linked to the socioeconomic status of the parents. According to Philips (1998), parental education and socioeconomic status have an impact on student achievement.

Students from educated homes outperformed those from uneducated homes, but family size was only marginally related to achievement (Ferguson, 1991). Perhaps children from low-income families face the challenge of competing with those from wealthy homes, particularly in schools.

Also, in some homes, there is enough money to go around, and the children are well-cared for. Furthermore, Hammer (2003) asserted that the home environment is just as important as what happens at school. Parental involvement in their children’s education, how much TV they watch, and the number of children in the home are all important factors (family size).

Parental influence has been identified as a significant determinant of student achievement. According to the findings, parent education and encouragement are strongly related to improved student achievement (Wang, Wildman, & Calhoun, 1996). As a result, future empirical findings on gender and socioeconomic background of students are required.

1.2PROBLEM STATEMENT

In both internal and external examinations, secondary school students do poorly in physics. Several attempts have been made by physics educators to identify factors that are responsible, some of which are instructional strategies, teacher factors, student factors, and environmental factors.

However, several submissions were made; Babajide (2012) suggested using practical activities, while Babajide (2010) suggested using predict – observe – explain and generative instructional strategies. Okoronkwo (2014) suggested using model-based instructional strategies.

Despite all of these submissions, the problem persists. As a result, alternative instructional strategies, such as the use of drama and practical activities on achievement and attitude toward physics, are required. As a result, the purpose of this study is to determine the relative impact of drama and practical work on the academic achievement and attitude of students in secondary school Physics.

1.3OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study’s goal is to look at how the drama method and practical work affect students’ academic achievement and attitude toward Physics. In addition, an attempt must be made to investigate the interaction effects of gender and socioeconomic background on student academic achievement and attitude toward Physics.

Information on factors such as parents’ educational level, types of employment, and the number of children living in the family, as well as how these affect student achievement and attitude, behaviors, values, and interest in Physics learning.

1.4THE STUDY’S SIGNIFICANCE

The study demonstrated the superiority of drama over other instructional strategies. It has also revealed the interaction effect of students’ socioeconomic background and gender on physics achievement.

1.5 THE STUDY’S SCOPE

This study is limited to six schools in Lagos State’s Isolo District. The following criteria were used to categorize school sections:

1. The school must be a mixed-gender institution.

2. The school must have been in operation for at least five years.

3. Availability of qualified Physics instructors

4. The school laboratory should be reasonably equipped.

1.6 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

The study answered the following research questions:

1. Is there a difference in achievement and attitude between students taught through drama and those taught through practical work in physics?

2. Is there a difference in physics achievement and attitude between students taught using the conventional method and those taught using the drama method?

3. Is there a difference in physics achievement and attitude between students taught using the traditional method and those taught using practical work?

4. Is there an interaction effect between the drama method, gender, and socioeconomic background on students’ physics achievement and attitude?

1.7 RESEARCH THEORIES

H01: There is no statistically significant main effect of treatment on: