INTRODUCTION
Rectilinear Propagation of Light is one of the science topics basic school pupils find difficult to understand. This research shows how learners couldn’t understand the concept when they were first taught. Continue reading to know how to make it easy for your children to understand the concept.
This chapter comprises the background to the study, statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the study, limitations, delimitations, and organization of the study.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The rapid development in all aspect of life is based on the effective knowledge of science and technology which has influence on the nation’s man power development requirement (Mormina, 2019).
Ever since people appeared on the planet earth they tried to improve their ways of doing things. The first men were hunters and gathers but later progressed into farmers who cultivated food of different kinds and animals for consumption and later exchange goods and services.
Even though there were difficulties, people with thoughtful mind recorded information for progress in science.
Science methods such as logical investigations, experimentation and questioning are used in search of information which served as the basis for further investigation(H Brooks, 1994).
Science uses many methods which are systematic and reliable for collection of information and forming ideas, these are referred to add scientific methods. Countries have invested a lot of money into scientific experimentation to advance the health and comfort of their people.
These nations became famous and can effectively understand and withstand problems that may arise. In view of this, the government of Ghana and for these matter GES(2012) and individual are putting in much effort to make science education more meaning and practical for reason science is one of the compulsory subject taught in our basic and second cycle institutions.
Although these measures have been put in place, there are still difficulties pertaining to the teaching and learning of science in basic schools and Aveyime is not an exception.
Aveyime Methodist Junior High School in the North Tongu District of the Volta region of Ghana. It shares a boundary with Tokpo a community within the Greater Accra region.
The community has a population about eight hundred(800) with farming as main occupation. They produce crops such as maize, cassava, okra and pepper. People of Aveyime in the North Tongu District are poor so absenteeism is rampant among the pupils of the school.
This because the pupils usually help their guardians and parents in their farming activities such as weeding, harvesting and carrying of farm produce and also goes to the market with their parents on markets day that are Tuesdays and Fridays.
The researcher is a mentee at Aveyime Methodist J.H.S who taught basic eight(8) and noticed that the pupils find some topics like rectilinear propagation of light in science very difficult.
It is very confusing, for that matter, they find it difficult to comprehend the principle of the propagation of light.
In actual fact the lesson was taught in abstract which made it teacher- centered lesson.
After evaluation exercise, it was realised that most of the pupils had marks below average. The performance of the pupils may be contributed to the teacher’s inability to use relevant Teaching and Learning Materials(TLM) and technique in the lesson.
The researcher has therefore decided to address the problem of the pupils’ inability to understand the rectilinear propagation of light at Aveyime Methodist J.H.S.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The researcher through his careful observation identified pupils’ lack of understanding of the topic ‘Rectilinear propagation of light at the basic eight (8) of Aveyime Methodist JHS in Integrated Science as a serious problem that needs to be solved through a proper demonstration lesson using appropriate teaching and learning material.
This has prompted the researcher to adopt a pragmatic strategy in a form of teaching and learning material to teach the topic.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Among many other things, the researcher to:
i) Identify the cause(s) of lack of understanding of the topic.
ii) Develop pragmatic strategies to help solve the problem.
iii) Develop interest of pupils in the lesson through the use of teaching and learning materials to teach the topic.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the causes of pupil’s inability to understand the concept “rectilinear propagation of light?
2. What strategies can be employed to boost the understanding of the basic eight pupils of Aveyime Methodist JHS in studying of the topic?
3. What suitable teaching and learning material can be used to develop the interest of the pupils in teaching the topic?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will go a long way to broaden the knowledge base of both the learners and other teachers in the school, nearby schools in the district, resource persons, the region, and the nation as a whole.
LIMITATION
For the successful completion of the research, the researcher identified some challenges, which will militate against the research work.
Notably among them are:
The teacher may not be willing to answer questions on pupils’ inability to understand the topic ’Rectilinear propagation of light’.
Again, pupils may be entertaining fear of saying exactly how the teacher taught them with the sense that they will be punished when the teacher gets to know.
DELIMITATIONS
This problem may be present in other schools but to make the work of the researcher fruitful, the research work was limited to the Aveyime Methodist JHS as his station for the macro teaching and again to basic eight (8) as that was where the problem was found.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This section of the chapter discussed how the study was organized. The chapter one has to do with the following subheadings: Background to the study, Statement of the problem, Purpose of the study, Research questions, Significance of the study, Limitation and Delimitation.
The second chapter deals with the review of related literature. This is followed by researcher methodology as the third chapter. The fourth chapter consists of analysis of data and discussions. The last chapter of the study covers summary, conclusion and recommendation.
Forward to Chapter Two
Forward to Chapter Three
SOURCE: bbcpulse.com