TSPCK-Based instruction and academic achievement of grade 11 students on chemical kinetics and equilibrium

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge-based instruction on grade 11 students’ achievement in chemical kinetics and equilibrium. A quasi-experimental research design with a 4 × 2 * 3 pre-test and post-test control group was employed on Grade 11 chemistry students in Addis Ababa administrative city, Ethiopia. Each treatment was assigned to four schools at random. The data collection instrument was the chemistry achievement test and the instrument was piloted with 61 students in a different school than the intervention schools. The reliability coefficient of the chemistry achievement test was calculated to be 0.79 after piloting and using Kuder-Richardson Formula 20. Data was gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. The study found that TSPCK-based instruction significantly improved high school students’ achievement in chemical kinetics and equilibrium concepts. Students exposed to the conceptual teaching strategy instructional mode performed better academically than those in representation-based, curricular saliency-based and conventional groups. However, the interaction between the type of interaction with gender and achiever levels was insignificant. Female students in chemistry who were exposed to topic-specific PCK-based instructional modes showed greater mean and normalized learning gains than their male counterparts in all groups. This resulted in the female students, intervention groups, and achiever levels being enhanced by 19%, 21.3%, and 15% average normalized learning gains, respectively, in chemical kinetics and equilibrium. Therefore, it is recommended that teaching chemical kinetics and equilibrium using topic-specific PCK-based instructional modes is the preferred effective teaching strategy to enhance achievement of students.

Keywords:

• chemical kinetics
• conceptual teaching strategy
• curricular saliency
• equilibrium
• normalized learning gains, representation
• topic specific-PCK

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

The study investigates the effect of topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) on grade 11 students’ academic progress in challenging chemistry topics such as chemical kinetics and equilibrium. The study demonstrated that TSPCK-based instruction significantly increased the academic achievement of grade 11 students in Addis Ababa compared to conventional teaching using a quasi-experimental research design. However, there was no interaction between the types of instruction with gender or achiever levels. The study adds to the body of knowledge by moving the emphasis from PCK as a teacher framework to an instructional technique for measuring academic accomplishment as student learning outcomes. It also advises that the Ethiopian educational system explore adopting constructivist TSPCK instructional methodologies into the school chemistry curriculum.

Ethical statements

This research started and finished with ethical issues. The researcher acquired a letter of collaboration from Addis Ababa University’s Department of Science and Mathematics Education, as well as approval from four secondary school principals in the Addis Ababa administrative city. Consent papers were distributed to the grade 11 students and four instructors who expressed their desire to engage in the study willingly. Data confidentiality was prioritized, and the researcher made every effort to minimize bias when collecting and analyzing data. Participants were compensated in order to maximize their learning. The allocated codes to the selected secondary schools were utilized, and no personal identities were divulged in any manner.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2292873

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kassahun Dejene Belayneh

Kassahun Dejene Belayneh is a Chemistry education researcher and educator. He was a physical chemistry lecturer at Kotebe University of Education. He worked on the professional development of elementary and secondary school teachers. He has 23 years teaching and advising experienced in high school, college of teachers’ education and university level in Ethiopia. Now he is a PhD candidate at Addis Ababa University. His research interests are topic-specific PCK-based instruction, conceptual understanding, and motivation in learning Chemistry concepts. His work has appeared in a variety of periodicals, including the Journal of International Letters, Advanced Science, Engineering, and Medicine, Science Education International, and Pedagogical Research. His first two efforts were on waste water filtration through the use of locally manufactured adsorbents. The third project focused on improving conceptual comprehension in specific chemistry areas through TSPCK-based instruction. The fourth project examined the impact of COVID-19 on science education at the college and university levels.