INTEGRATED SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES IN SELECTED SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE GOMOA EAST DISTRCT

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to investigate the instructional approaches utilized in selected seniorhigh schools during integrated science lessons. The persistent poor performance of senior highschool (S H S) students in the research area in integrated science prompted this study. Thetarget population comprised senior high schools in the Gomoa East and West District of thecentral region. The accessible population however consisted of senior high school in the GomoaEast District. Of the eight senior high schools in the District, three of them (2 public schools)and (1 private school) were purposively selected for the study. The main instrument used was aquestionnaire. This was supplemented with interview schedules. The total number students inthe three selected schools were 1325 and data was collected from 243 students and 25 integratedscience teachers. Before being used for the study, a pilot test was conducted to check thereliability of the main instrument. The results from the three schools showed that while theteachers in the private school utilized the guided discovery approach, their colleagues in thepublic schools used mostly the lecture method. It was also found that most of the teachers in thepublic schools did not specialize in science. Additionally, the teachers in the public schools didnot organize practical activities. Hence the students had no opportunity to handle equipment andmaterials during integrated science lessons. Based on the findings of the study it wasrecommended that as much as practicable, only teachers who specialized in science should beasked to teach integrated science.