Integrating Conceptual Change Text and Concept Mapping to Teach Cellular Respiration Concepts to the First Secondary Scientific Stream Students'

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of
conceptual change text, concept mapping, and a combination of
conceptual change text/concept mapping on the first secondary
scientific stream students' understanding of cellular respiration, and
their retention of this understanding compared to the traditional
instruction. Using information collected through interviews and
related literature, the Cellular Respiration Concept Test was
developed, and administered as a pre-test, post-test, and a retention
test to a total of (164) first secondary scientific stream students in 4
sections at a school in an ubran area. The sections were randomly
assigned as a control and three experimental groups. Students in the
first experimental group (n = 40) received conceptual change text
instruction; students in the second experimental group (n = 41)
received concept mapping instruction; students in the third
experimental group (n = 41) received conceptual change text and
concept mapping instruction; and students in the control group (n =
42) received traditional instruction. The results indicated the
conceptual change text, concept mapping and conceptual change
text/concept mapping treatment groups significantly outperformed the
traditional treatment group in conceptual understanding of cellular
respiration, and in the retention of this understanding. However, there
was no statistically significant difference among the three
experimental groups. A number of recommendations were derived
from the findings of this study.