Effect Of Software-Orientedconcept Mappingon Performance In Electrochemistry Amongsecondary School Studentsinkakamega County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

This study determined the effect of using Software-Oriented Concept Mapping on

performance in electrochemistry among secondary school students in Kakamega

County, Kenya. It was based on David Ausubel’s Meaningful Learning Theory, and

implemented through a sequential mixed methods approach. Quasi-experimental

research design, using non-randomized pretest-posttest control group model, was

adopted to implement the study’s quantitative phase, while focus group interviews

were used for the qualitative phase. Target population was 4,000 form four students

and 30 Chemistry teachers from secondary schools in Kakamega County, which

offer computer studies. A sample of 400 students and 10 teachers was selected by

multi-stage sampling procedure, through a combination of purposive, proportionate

stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The dependent variable was

academic performance at five levels; achievement, self-efficacy, attitude, motivation

and experimental skills, while the independent variable was instructional strategy at

two levels; Software-Oriented Concept Mapping and Conventional Instructional

Strategies. Students’ gender and school type were the intervening variables. The

study was piloted two weeks to the actual study, in two secondary schools within

Kakamega County. Observation check-lists, close-ended questionnaires and

standardized achievement tests were used to collect the study’s quantitative data,

while focus group interview guides were used to collect qualitative data. All the

research instruments were validated using the Rasch Model, while reliability of the

quantitative instruments was assessed, also using data from the pilot study, via the

internal consistency alpha coefficients method. Percentage validity scores for the

instruments ranged between 74 and 86, while their reliability coefficients ranged

between 0.729 and 0.877, both measures surpassing the minimum thresholds set by

various educational research experts. Frequencies, percentages, means and standard

deviations were employed to analyze the collected quantitative data descriptively.

The study’s null hypotheses were tested inferentially at the 0.05 alpha level of

statistical significance, using parametric tests. These included; 2×1 Factorial

ANOVA, One-Way ANOVA, Bivariate Pearson’s Correlation, ANCOVA and

Standard Multiple Linear Regression. Qualitative data on the other hand were

analyzed in themes as they emerged. Findings revealed a significantly superior

effect of Software-Oriented Concept Mapping on students’ academic performance in

Electrochemistry when compared to the use of Conventional Instructional Strategies

to teach the same topic. These findings have important instructional implications in

the field of Chemistry education. It is recommended that Chemistry teachers and

students in Kenya should fully incorporate the use of Software-Oriented Concept

Mapping in their daily teaching and learning, so as to mitigate the low academic

performance currently being reported in the subject at national level.